For the second year in a row, Alam Aleef (Arabic for: “domesticated world”) exhibition has taken place in Cairo.
Varieties of animals were on display including cats, dogs, hawks, eagles, snakes, crocodiles and different type of birds, like parrots.
One of the organizers, Ahmed al-Agan, said that the main goal of the exhibition is to bring together pet owners and companies that produce products for pets.
“The main purpose of the exhibition is to break the barrier between those who sell pet accessories, food, and medicine – which are the companies and those who need the services, which are the pet owners. We want them to meet one another and see what problems they are facing, to know what problems are in the market, and the products, to improve the situation,” al-Agan said.
The exhibition is also about changing general concepts and fear of the animals that many in Egypt were raised with.
“A lot of people have this barrier (towards animals), which is a result of mistakes in our upbringing. We would hear: “Be careful, the cat will scratch you; careful the dog will bite you.” And [the animal] wouldn’t even come close to you. This way, since we are children, we grow up being scared of animals. A cat won’t scratch you unless you do something – unless you bother it. So, we’re here to tell people: ‘here are dogs, cats, hawks, eagles, and snakes; they are all domesticated, and they never try to harm humans’. The story is when a human tries to harm them, they feel it and try to defend themselves. They don’t harm anyone,” al-Agan added.
One of the visitors said the exhibition provided useful and new knowledge about animals.
“It (the exhibition) is a good thing so one can learn new things, and see better things, and gain new information. It is a good thing and honorable,” said Khalid Sabri.
Organizers of the event say they wish families would come to the exhibition to keep the stress away amid the growing security tension in the country.
They say they hope to run the third edition of the exhibition next year and to make it a large regional event.
(Reuters)
