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Iran bans dog walking: It "damages Islamic culture", says Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

By Greta Inglis Dog Behaviourist | Animal Behaviourist

Published on the

Anyone walking their four-legged friend on the streets of Iran now risks more than just a fine – and it's all down to deeply religious reasons.

What's part of daily life in many countries now comes with a serious risk in Iran, after authorities in at least 20 cities have banned dog walking. 

The ban has been in place in the capital, Tehran, for years, but it has now been extended nationwide.

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What's the reason behind the ban? 

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According to the state newspaper Iran, the measures aim to "maintain public order, ensure security and protect public health".

But critics suspect a cultural-political message behind the crackdown: For many religious hardliners, dogs symbolise not just impurity, but also the influence of Western lifestyles.

The symbolic impact of the ban

In 2017, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made it clear that "keeping dogs for reasons other than herding, hunting, and guard dogs is to be considered reprehensible".

"Walking dogs damages Islamic culture as well as hygiene and the peace of others", he explained. This attitude is widespread in conservative circles there. Barely comprehensible to Western observers, but a sad reality in Iran.

Officially, keeping dogs isn't banned in Iran, but anyone who has a four-legged friend lives an increasingly dangerous life. Authorities have repeatedly issued bans in recent years that prohibit taking dogs in cars or to parks or public spaces.

Enforcement is often arbitrary. Sometimes they turn a blind eye, sometimes they crack down hard. Dog owners are increasingly reporting that their animals are being confiscated or threatened.

Muslim woman with dog
Dog owner sits with her four-legged friend in Indonesia (Wulandari Wulandari/ Shutterstock).

 

Many dog owners refuse to be intimidated. Particularly in the capital, Tehran, many owners continue to walk their pets in the open. But this is far from safe. 

With each extension of the ban, the risk of attracting the authorities' attention grows, too, and dog walks in Iran may now be seen as a political act. Daily walks with a canine companion have become a cultural battle.

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