Saudi Arabia
The Islamic faithful feel very strongly about pigs. Books celebrating the porcine, such as Animal Farm and Charlotte’s Web, have been banned in certain nations due to their depictions of pigs. English dictionaries even sometimes have the word “pig” blacked out with a marker.
Saudi Arabia is particularly sensitive. As the host nation of the Holy Mosque of Mecca, Saudi Arabia bans pork and pigs altogether. Their very presence within the nation is considered a desecration. For this reason, some Saudi citizens may not even know what a pig looks like.
An acquaintance was in the process of moving from the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia when he was stopped at the border for a routine search of his vehicle. Accompanying him was his dog. Although legal, dogs also are uncommon in Saudi Arabia because they are viewed as impure or unclean animals.
The Pug Owner’s Story
“The Saudi border police are notoriously strict enforcers of the nation’s religious laws, so I was careful to ensure nothing in my vehicle would run afoul of their rules. The only thing I was worried about was my dog, a cute little pug. I had all of his veterinarian records and health certifications with me and was ready to present them if asked.
“When the Saudi guard approached, I rolled down my window, and he leaned in for a closer look at my passenger cabin.
“‘What’s that?’ he asked, pointing to my pug sitting beside me on the front passenger seat.
“‘It’s my pug,’ I casually replied.
“This elicited a look of complete disgust. The officer backed away from the vehicle, putting his white-gloved hand over his mouth.
“The guard blew his whistle, and three more guards—these with machine guns at their sides—surrounded my car. They were talking rapidly in Arabic, and I couldn’t make out their concern.
“‘Get out!’ shouted one of them.
“It was a scorching hot day in the Arabian desert, and I couldn’t leave my pug in the car. I reached over to pick him up—
“‘Leave the pig!’ barked the guard.
“Unfortunately, I had not thought about how a pug might resemble a pig. It has a curly tail, not unlike a pig’s tail, and a stubby round nose—well, rather similar to a pig’s snout. And to someone less accustomed to the English language, one might hear the word pug as pig.
“I let go of my pug and stepped out of the vehicle, smiling and hoping to quickly resolve the case of mistaken identity.
“‘It’s not a P-I-G, it’s a P-U-G, which is a kind of dog. You know, woof woof.’
“That led to a blank stare. I didn’t think I had gotten through to him. By now, the commotion had attracted other Saudis, who were leaving their vehicles to see what was the matter. They gathered around to look at the pug, each recoiling in horror. My poor pug was panting and drooling in the 115-degree heat.
“The guards chattered away in Arabic and then one said, ‘We kill the pig. Take it over there.’ The guard pointed to the desert alongside the road.
“‘It’s not a pig!’ I shouted. ‘It’s a dog.’
“The youngest guard was putting on latex gloves, apparently in preparation for my pug’s execution. Just when I thought all was lost, my pug was rescued by a good Samaritan. An older Saudi man intervened, explaining to the guard that my animal was, in fact, a species of dog—not a pig. They talked for some time, but a reprieve was eventually won. We were allowed to go on our way, and my pug was no longer a pig.”