Pet Food Prices on the Rise in Lebanon
The Lebanese economic crisis has led to a 300% increase in pet food prices, leaving owners reluctant about adoption.
After the dollar rate reached its peak, pet food has tripled in price across Lebanon. Many Lebanese owners have abandoned their pets in response to the crisis, and many others have become unwilling to adopt any.
According to Al Arabiya English (2020), the estimated number of dumped animals has increased by 30 to 40 percent in Lebanon. Organizations concerned with pet safety, are trying their best to cope with the issue, yet Lebanese are showing no interest in providing new homes for the animals in need.
There is no wonder that Lebanese are hesitant about offering help to pets, especially that many are barely affording to buy basic needs for their families at home. As stated by L’orient Today (2021), “residents of Lebanon were paying over four times more for food and nonalcoholic beverages in February than they were just a year before, while clothing and footwear had become more than six times as expensive during the same period, according to the latest data from the Central Administration of Statistics”. This indicates that the cost of food has increased by 417 percent, while that of clothing has increased by 612 percent year over year.
“People are not able to find milk or diapers for their newborns in supermarkets. I mean I’m not surprised that very few only are buying pet food”, says Ahmad Fawaz, an employee at Al-Makhazen supermarket. “I personally used to have a Scottish Fold that I adored, but because of the economic crisis and the rise in the dollar exchange rate I had to abandon my cat and give her to a Lebanese NGO named P.A.W”, adds Fawaz.
Now that the Lebanese are buying one dollar at approximately 12,850 LBP in the black market, the prices of pet food are recording 60,000 LBP for 4 kgs at Al-Makhazen supermarket. Based on Al Arabiya English (2020), “a 15-kilogram bag of high-end dog food that used to cost 150,000 Lebanese Lira is now 300,000 Lebanese Lira, and some products have disappeared from the market altogether because of the dollar shortage and rapid inflation of the lira”.
Ibrahim Moallem, a 20-year-old student studying physiotherapy at Beirut Arab University, is buying cat food at Al-Makhazen supermarket. He is startled by the extremely expensive costs. “The price of the Friskies cat food has increased a lot since the beginning of the crisis. I used to buy 3kgs for 36,000 LBP, but now I am buying the same amount for 105,000 LBP”, says Moallem. “The situation is very critical”, he adds.
Similarly, Ghida Hajjar, an 18-year-old student, is also buying food for her dogs at the supermarket and is complaining about the prices that have skyrocketed. “Dog food used to cost me 50,000 LBP per month, while now it is costing me 200,000 LBP”, Hajjar says.
Moreover, Lebanese are facing major problems during the pets’ mating seasons. P.A.W “Perpetual Animal Watch” NGO has launched a TNR campaign in Lebanon to neuter stray dogs and cats that are overpopulated. However, their campaign requires fund-raising to reach its aim.
Having said that, not all Lebanese can afford to neuter their pets in these tough times. Pet owners are finding it difficult to buy food for newborn pets. “My dog has given birth to eight dogs, and I am looking for people to adopt them as I can’t afford to feed them anymore”, Hajjar says. “I hope the economic crisis gets resolved in no time. Not only are we experiencing hardship and despair, but also the innocent dogs and pets that we own are suffering too”, Hajjar adds.
Many pets have already been abandoned after the coronavirus rumors in Lebanon. To top that off, the dollar crisis has driven Lebanese owners over the edge. The number of stray pets is constantly increasing against the increase in the prices of pet food. Nonetheless, pet owners are trying their best to hold on to their pets. Lebanese have always had hope that the situation will get better. Many are still trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
