The Saudi religious police have reportedly vowed to strictly enforce a ban on the sale of pet cats and dogs in Riyadh and walking animals in public.

A senior official said it was to stop a rising trend of people trying to evade strict rules on sex segregation.

The claim is that men were using their pets as an excuse to meet women, which is banned in places like restaurants and cafes between non-married people.

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Saudi police to enforce pet curbs.

Tags: Pets, Saudi+Arabia, Sex+segregation