The police puppy considered "ritually unclean"

Bess writes: Offensive? This is Rebel, the black German Shepherd puppy whom Tayside Police chose to feature in their postcard (above) advertising a new non-emergency telephone number. It was printed and distributed in the Spring, but according to reports today  some Muslims in the Dundee area allegedly find this image of the six-month old puppy  “offensive” and “ritually unclean”. This refers to a teaching upheld by  some Islamic scholars that dogs are “impure” and thus forbidden except for hunting or farming. Tayside Police, alerted to this fact by a keen Dundee city councillor,  have now apologised for the advert, and for failing to consult “diversity officers” before its publication. The local press which broke the story yesterday, suggests today that Rebel  is not in fact a source of major upset for Dundee's Muslim community.

Comments

[Gordon Rae]

It seems to me the Muslim view is the same one held by my fox-hunting neighbours: dogs are working animals, not cute little dolls.

According to the links in the piece, the Dundee Courier says the local Muslim community is taking it very well, but the London Daily Telegraph is doing its best to stir up a scandal, where none exists.

[Alistair]

More serious was the Muslim cabbie in 2006 who refused to pick up a blind passenger because he wouldn't allow her guide dog in the car. Sadly for him the blind woman he left stranded worked for - wait for it - the RNIB!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-408912/Unclean-guide-dog-banned-Muslim-cab-driver.html

[Daisy]

Well, they don't wash as much as cats and are rather smelly :)

But how cute, I've never seen a black German Shepherd.

I would think that the majority of Muslims wouldn't find it offensive, surely most Muslims have to live near people who have dogs as pets and feel no need to complain (at least I've never heard of it myself), it's probably one of those things that has been blown all out of proportion.

How interesting.

[bill]

Hope he doesn't leak on the hat.

[Stuart Hartill]

If I was a Tayside copper I'd be more worried that a puppy appears to have pooped in my hat!

[Jana]

This most certainly WAS blown out of proportion. Neither I nor any Muslim I know have any sort of problem with a picture of a puppy on a poster... it's a non-issue!

[Alistair]

But what's the problem, Jana, with Muslim taxi drivers taking blind persons and their guide dogs in their cabs? Isn't your religion supposed to be tolerant, respectful and compassionate?

It's fine to say you have no problem with a puppy on a poster, but why leave blind people stranded by the kerb in big cities? Aren't they vulnerable enough already?

[Jana]

Alistair, where did I justify what he did?? His actions were completely wrong. There is a famous hadith that tells the story of a prostitue who was forgiven of all her sins simply because she gave a thirsty dog some water to drink. You are right, Islam does teach us to be tolerant, respectful and compassionate, so don't let the actions of this one taxi driver dictate the view you have of Muslims as a whole.

[will]

actually im quite offended by the fact we have diversity officers,does that mean we can get rid of them?

more importantly making an issue out of something as stupid as this plays into the hands of the BNP and others.

please let common sense resume, if the odd person gets offended by a puppy let them get offended.

the next thing we will have is the greens saying they are offended by aeroplane travel,and acpo will corden off heathrow.

[Gregory Penn]

I really don't believe anybody should have apologised for this... This is a Christian country. People complaining about stuff like this is ridiculous, it's just people taking their religions to ridiculous obscure extremes, and we pander to it.

[Peter Tachauer]

A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool because he has to say something. Unfortunately, diversity appears to be the fool at present. If you were diversity officer in the local police force, fire brigade, local authority etc, you simply have to find issues to justify your very existence. I don't think it was ever envisaged that diversity must equate to white middle class angst over perceived offence towards minority groups caused by having bootie-less sniffer dogs, xmas trees, or a cute puppy advertising a telephone number. Less persiflage please. Let us deal with the REAL issues of equality for all regardless of colour, religion, sex, social class.

[Zoe]

Dogs are unclean? Does that include trained rescue animals? Well, fine. Next time a building collapses with people inside, we'll keep the sniffer dogs away from you

[jim]

they should have asked the whisky co for a copy of the black and white doggie advert equality all round but what about the chinese? double whiskys all round problem solved?????

[Trainer]

Time spent training the average police employee on 'diversity' issues? Three days. Time spent training the average police employee on forensic science and crime scene management? Two days. Do the maths.