(30 Dec 2024)
IRAQ CAT CAFE
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 2:58
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baghdad, Iraq – 28 December 2024
1. Various of people feeding cats at a cafe that is home to 33 cats
2. Various of cafe visitor Marwa Muthana holding cat and posing for photos
3. People petting cats inside cafe
4. Child holding cat in her lap
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ammar al-Naimi, owner of Miu Zone cafe:
"We wanted to do something different than the previous ideas. We noticed that cats are not with people inside cafes. They were isolated. And we wanted the children of people who have a phobia of cats to not be like their parents. So, the family can stay outside and the children can live the experience with the cats (inside the cafe).”
6. Various of cats inside cafe
7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ammar al-Naimi, owner of Miu Zone cafe:
"The children’s culture and their hostility towards these creatures have changed a lot, even the adults have changed. I want the father or the mother to feel reassured when their kids play with these creatures. I mean they are not going to hurt (a person). The way people feel has started to change compared to the way they felt in the past. Now, we see many cats on streets and people are not hostile toward them. We can see many friendly cats on the street, and this is the result of a change in the approach and culture."
8. Family members putting nylons on their shoes before entering the cafe
9. Family members with cats inside cafe
10. Various of people playing with cats and petting them
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Marwa Muthana, cafe-goer:
"This is a new idea that has never been tapped before in Iraq. This is the first time that we get to see something like this. And honestly, we need these things because we get used to a routine, only going out in restaurants and so on. This is a nice thing, it is creating an intimacy between people and animals. It is very nice and it is put together well."
12. People with cats inside cafe
13. Various of cats
14. Various of exterior of Miu Zone cafe
STORYLINE:
A new cat cafe in Baghdad allows customers to spend time playing with the four-legged fur balls while enjoying a warm cup of coffee.
The shop, home to 33 cats of various breeds, opened its doors earlier in December.
"We wanted to do something different,” said Ammar al-Naimi, the owner of Miu Zone cafe.
"We noticed that cats are not with people inside cafes. They were isolated. And we wanted the children of people who have a phobia of cats to not be like their parents.”
Al-Naimi said he wanted people to mingle with cats and get more comfortable around them.
The venue gives cafe-goers the chance to pet and feed the cats, but adhering to some rules to protect both the animals and the humans.
The clients are required to put nylon covers on their shoes and sanitize their hands before playing with the cats.
Cafe-goers are not allowed to feed the animals any food apart from that provided and sold by the cafe.
The entry fee is 5,000 Iraqi dinars ($3.33) and the cafe serves snacks for the cats and beverages and deserts for the human visitors.
"This is a new idea that has never been tapped before in Iraq.” said Marwa Muthana, who recently visited the shop. "This is the first time that we get to see something like this."
AP video shot by Ali Jabar
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/6c1c07cd4a334d35855aa363d201ac1b
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 4, 2025, 12:00 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
