- Title: Get your furry friend pampered at this West Bank hotel for pets
- Date: 27th June 2021
- Summary: BIR ZIET, WEST BANK (JUNE 13, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAN GROOMING DOG'S FACE VARIOUS OF GEORGE GHATTAS, OWNER OF PET PALACE, GROOMING DOG GHATTAS LATHERING SHAMPOO ON DOG VARIOUS OF GHATTAS GIVING DOG A BATH GHATTAS TOWEL DRYING DOG DOG, SCISSORS AND COMB PAINTED ON WALL WITH WORD READING (English): "WELCOME" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF PET PALACE, GEORGE GHATTAS, WHILE CARRYING A DOG, SAYING: "I've raised dogs and pets throughout all of my life. I've had most types of pets and I always had trouble finding a place to keep my dogs when I travel, or if I want to bathe them, take them to play, groom them, or to take them anywhere, there is no place in this country that provides these services. I've travelled a lot and saw many similar places abroad and that is how I got the idea. I had this piece of land in Bir Zeit and decided to build the project of a hotel for dogs and pets." GHATTAS PUTTING LEASH ON WET DOG VARIOUS OF GHATTAS BLOW DRYING DOG'S HAIR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF PET PALACE, GEORGE GHATTAS, WHILE CARRYING A DOG, SAYING: "It's a great adventure. When I first informed my family and friends that I intend to open a hotel for dogs, they made fun of me, and would tell me that this is silly. But honestly, I was surprised, well not very (surprised) since I expected it, but those around me were surprised by the excellent turnout to the hotel since it was established." DOGS STANDING ON METAL FIXTURE OUTSIDE DOG SEEN THROUGH A ROUND CYLINDER WITH GRASS INTERIOR DOG WALKING DOWN METAL RECREATIONAL FIXTURE FOUR DOGS STANDING IN THE SHADE NEXT TO RECREATIONAL FIXTURE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OWNER OF PET PALACE, GEORGE GHATTAS, WHILE CARRYING A DOG, SAYING: "Hopefully in the near future, a part of the revenue from this place or its income will go to support stray dogs in the streets." WOMAN OPENING HOTEL ROOM DOOR FOR DOG TO ENTER WOMAN HELPING DOG SIT ON MAT DOG LOOKING OUT OF GLASS DOOR OF HOTEL ROOM WOMAN OPENING DOOR FOR DOG TO EXIT THE HOTEL ROOM DOG WATCHING PARROTS IN A CAGE CLIENT THAT USES THE HOTEL'S SERVICES, AMINAH EREKAT, CARRYING HER DOG EREKAT HUGGING HER DOG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CLIENT THAT USES PET PALACE HOTEL'S SERVICES, AMINA EREKAT, WHILE CARRYING HER DOG, SAYING: "This is a very important, convenient and nice project that provides a safe place for pets, especially that a lot of people (pet owners) have to run errands and need a place to put the dog, or want to travel and don't know where to put the dog, so this is an important step." EXTERIOR OF PET PALACE SHELVES OF DOG FOOD, BOTH CANNED AND PACKED, ON SHELVES INSIDE PET PALACE WITH STAND READING (English): 'PET PALACE' GHATTAS PETTING DOG AND PUTTING HIM IN DOG KENNEL KITTEN IN CAGE WITH GLASS WINDOW, LOOKING AT CAT OUTSIDE KITTEN PERSON CARRYING CAT TO SEE KITTEN INSIDE CAGE, KITTEN TRYING TO REACH OUT FOR CAT OUTSIDE THROUGH GLASS
- Embargoed: 11th July 2021 11:50
- Keywords: Cats Dogs Hotel Palestinians Pets West Bank
- Location: BIR ZEIT, WEST BANK
- City: BIR ZEIT, WEST BANK
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Human-Led Feature,Human-Led Stories,Middle East
- Reuters ID: LVA001EJ6ERFD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:George Ghattas fulfilled his dream and opened a hotel for pets, a first of its kind in the West Bank.
Located on a hill in the town of Bir Zeit, the hotel called Pet Palace offers pet owners numerous services including accommodation, pet grooming, a play area, a swimming pool and pet supplies.
According to Ghattas, there is a need for such a service as it offers pet owners a solution when they travel, a problem he himself suffered from.
"I've raised dogs and pets throughout all of my life. I've had most types of pets and I always had trouble finding a place to keep my dogs when I travel, or if I want to bathe them, take them to play, groom them, or to take them anywhere, there is no place in this country that provides these services," he said while petting a dog on his lap.
While the project was seen as "silly" by Ghattas' family and friends, he was not dissuaded and was convinced that the hotel will fill in a much needed service gap.
Although Pet Palace only serves a limited portion of the Palestinian society that owns pets, its services are seen as instrumental.
"This is a very important, convenient and nice project that provides a safe place for pets, especially that a lot of people (pet owners) have to run errands and need a place to put the dog, or want to travel and don't know where to put the dog, so this is an important step," said Amina Erekat, owner of a little white dog, Bella, who enjoys her time at the hotel.
Ghattas is satisfied with the turnout to the hotel so far and aspires to allocate a portion of the project's proceeds to care for stray dogs on the streets.
(Production: Adel abu Nemeh, Mustafa abu Ganeyeh, Nuha Sharaf) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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