Jeddah: In a deeply conservative culture Saudi women are carefully redefining the boundaries of public life.
Recently four Saudi women have launched a mobile service providing basic health care for pets by giving services like bathing, clipping of nails, cutting of hair etc.
According to a report in a local publication on Monday. The business is the brainchild of Huda Qabani, Widad Al-Tamimi, Nora Al-Awartani and Amna Ali Ridda, who have received a permit from the government for their services.
Huda -Qabani said they developed the idea after having received poor service from local veterinarians for their pets, with the animals sometimes “coming back even sicker.” There should be more awareness created about the rights of animals, said Al-Qabani.
They all took training on pet care in Britain and achieved great deal of experience dealing with animals, including providing grooming services. They said that they created awareness among children about caring for animals, and are working with voluntary bodies to treat abused pets.
Nora Al-Awartani said. “Animals need to have their hair cut and cleaned. Contrary to what some people believe, animals do not clean themselves.”
Last year Britons were expected to spend over $7 billion on their pets by the end of 2015, with “quality diets, beauty treatments, exercise regimes and designer outfits.”
According to Euromonitor data quoted by the publication. The global spending on domestic animals would break through the $100 billion barrier for the first time, rising to $103.8 billion from $98.3 billion in 2014.
Nearly $7 billion was spent in 2014, United Kingdom consumers doled out $5.57 billion on pet food, which means that Britons spent almost $1.5 billion on non-edible gifts for their pets such as grooming treatments, holidays, day care, clothes and toys.