‘Dog Walking Is A Clear Crime’: Iran’s Latest Morality Push

The government regards pet dogs as a sign of Western cultural influence. They are also considered impure, in Islam. Now there is a crackdown.

Pic: pexels

Iranian authorities have significantly broadened a ban on walking dogs in public spaces, extending the restriction from Tehran to at least 17 other cities across the country, including Ilam, Isfahan, and Kerman. This expansion builds upon a 2019 police directive that initially prohibited dog walking in the capital.

The rationale behind this move is rooted in various factors. While no explicit law in Iran bans dog ownership, it remains a contentious issue since the 1979 Islamic revolution. Many religious scholars consider dogs and their saliva to be ritually impure. Additionally, some officials perceive pet ownership as a symbol of undesirable Western cultural influence.

Historically, Iranian authorities have intermittently imposed such bans, often as part of a broader effort to discourage dog ownership. This includes a 2010 prohibition on media advertisements for pets or pet products, and a 2014 parliamentary push to fine and even flog dog walkers (though this particular measure did not pass).

Officials have stated that the latest bans are intended to "maintain public order, ensure safety and protect public health." Local reports indicate that legal action will be taken against those who violate these new regulations, although specific details on enforcement have not been fully disclosed.

The newspaper quoted Abbas Najafi, prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, as saying, "Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace, and comfort. "

In 2017, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that “keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting and guard dogs is considered reprehensible”, according to AFP.

"If this practice resembles that of non-Muslims, promotes their culture or causes harm and disturbance to neighbours, it is deemed forbidden," he had said.