Ministry warns against bringing dangerous animals to public places

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) has called on the owners of dangerous animals who keep them as pets not to accompany or walk them in public places, as these could often go out of control and pose serious risk for people in the vicinity.

The law stipulates a penalty of a maximum three years in jail and a maximum fine of QR100,000 or any of these for owning, importing, exporting or trading these animals without prior license from the concerned department. Besides, the same penalties are applicable in case of taking these animals for a walk at public places or accompanying them there.

Further, the person who uses these animals to attack other humans is punishable by the same penalties. However, the penalty can be aggravated to up to a maximum of 25 years in jail if the attack resulted in the death of the victim or caused a permanent disability.

MoECC warned through a post on its official X account that these dangerous animals should be displayed for sale or be subject trade transactions, according to the stipulation of Law No 10 for 2019 regulating the possession of dangerous animals or creatures. The law bans the export, import or trade in dangerous animals without the prior license of the concerned entity. It also bans walking these animals or accompanying them at any public place.

Further, these animals have to be registered at the concerned department alongside the names of their owners, caretakers and guards. In addition, any updates regarding these animals such as a new birth, death or lost animal should be reported, as well as any selling or buying processes concerning them.

In case of failure to abide by any of these stipulations the law gives the concerned department the right to seize the targeted animal and keep it at the designated places for this purpose or repatriate to its original habitat with the cost of this paid by the violator.

The ministry called on everyone to go through the regulation, which includes 28 different breeds of dogs and canines and Feline (Felidae), in addition to a number of other animals classified as dangerous. These include: Doberman, Ridgeback, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Boston Terrier, German Pinscher, Staff Ord Shir Terrier, Bull Terrier, Ca De Bou, Canary Dog, Dogo Argentino, Brazilian Mastiff, Spanish Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Bull Dog, Bull Mastiff, Old English Mastiff, Dogu De Bordeaux, Boxer, Great Dane, Rottweller, Shar Pei, Cane Corso, Kangel Dog, Tibet Dog, Sheep Dog, Sheep Dog Caucasim, Ovcharka, Alpine Mastiff, Panthera Leo, Panthera Tigris, Panthera Pardus, Panthera Onca, Puma Concolor, Acinonyx Jubatus, Crocuta Crocuta, Hyaena Hyaena, Vulpes Vulpes, Canis Aurcus, Papio Hamadryas, Chorocrbus, Pygerythrus, Pan Troglodytes, Gorilla Spp. Other banned animals and insects include all types of spiders, snakes, scorpions, wild cats, crocodiles and all types of bears.

Such regulations are meant to protect public safety and security while maintaining the wellbeing of such wild animals and protect them against abuse or misuse as part of the intensive efforts exerted by MoECC enhance ecological diversity and achieve the desired sustainable environmental equilibrium.