Dogs as the Friends of the Kurds

Word has spread in the expat community in Iraqi Kurdistan that the mayor of Ainkawa, the Christian suburb of the capital of Erbil, is trying to ban dogs from the streets.

Why? Nobody really knows. Ainkawa has turned itself into the place that many expats call home. Because of the more relaxed environment, and because of the presence of other foreigners.

With the foreigners came the people who keep dogs in their homes. Nothing new, because the Christians in Ainkawa own them, too. The Islamic prejudice against dogs as dirty animals is not applicable here.

Elsewhere in the capital dogs are not really welcome. There are stories about dogs that have been poisoned because neighbors threw poisoned meat over the fence.

Most dogs in Iraqi Kurdistan are stray dogs, which have to work hard to find enough food to stay alive. They are shooed away, beaten, hit with sticks and killed by cars. Mostly people are afraid of them, or fear they bring diseases. This could be true, as they have not been vaccinated against rabies.

In Ainkawa, the expats are making sure their dogs are clean and healthy. The vets are doing overtime. Sometimes, litters of puppies are found and they are taken care of, even from elsewhere in town.

This is especially true when it becomes known that children have been throwing stones at the pups. The fact that many Kurds do not consider dogs as their friends is accepted, but the way the animals are abused, hurt and even killed can really heat up the emotions.

So did the news about a possible ban on dogs. The expat community decided to protest. A petition was posted on the Internet calling to “make Ainkawa a dog-friendly environment where dog-owners, non-dog owners and dogs may all live in harmony.”

Within days it had 200 signatures, among them one of a Kurdish friend who sent me a message explaining why he signed. I was happy to know that some Kurds do understand dogs as they are.

“Animals have the right to live. They are not dirty if taken care of. The earth on which we live, is beautiful because of them, not because of man. I believe dogs and man supported each other and thus survived millions of years ago when humans were weak. Dogs have remained faithful while man has not.”

Hating animals and intimidating them is merely stupid and brutal. It is maverick not to love dogs, if we admit the help, usefulness and support they offer. They are there when we are in need and fear.”

Some measures have been suggested to prevent the ban. One of them is to create a designated dog park where dogs could socialize, run, and play, using up their energy.

A law would be helpful, requiring dog owners to put them on a leash outside, and to clean up after their pet as “another way to keep non-dog owners happy and keep Ainkawa clean”.

The petition shows understanding for people’s fear of dogs and asks owners to make sure their dog is vaccinated, de-wormed and chipped. Interesting is the last option on the petition, to help dog owners learn more about how to handle a pet, as not everyone is cut out for it. A pamphlet on how to care for a pet could help pet owners be responsible, is the idea.

The expats even suggest an animal shelter to keep dogs that have been abandoned by their owners and stray dogs off the streets. “Getting stray animals off the streets would go a long way to helping the perception of animals as well as making our city a better place.”

The petition cannot but stop short at changing a culture, and a mentality. However useful the proposed measures are, they only scratch the surface of a solution. My Kurdish friend had it right in the first place. Kurds must start to realize that the relationship between man and dog is much older than their resentment against the animal.

A little change is already there, with some families getting a small dog for their children. Kids want the dog as the companion they see on Western television. But I worry what happens to the animal when the child gets fed up walking it, and when it grows and gets less attractive.

I have seen that happen in Spain, where animals ended up on the streets, and organizations were set up to care for them. We do not want that to happen in Kurdistan. So let’s make sure we give people the whole picture.

Dogs are man’s greatest companion, and they can be very loyal. But dogs need care and love, and they expect you to be loyal to them too.

Will this work in Kurdistan?