Iran extends ban on walking dogs in public, violators to be punished by...

Iran has now extended ban on walking dogs in public to more cities across the country citing various issues like social order, public health, and safety concerns, according to the country’s media. The ban was first made in 2019 through a police directive that prohibited walking dogs in the capital, Tehran, which met with massive criticism and controversy, which is now extended to Ilam city in the west on Sunday, the reports said. After this, 17 other cities have implemented such bans in recent days, including Isfahan in the centre and Kerman in the south. The issue of walking dogs has been debatable since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. However, the law does not ban the ownership of dogs.  

Why is walking dogs in public banned in Iran? 

The cities where the ban has been imposed include Kermanshah, Ilam, Hamadan, Kerman, Boroujerd, Robat Karim, Lavasanat and Golestan. The reason why this ban has been implemented is because it exposes public health to risks, according to Iranian authorities, and it causes safety issues. The ban has been strictly imposed with the authorities' taking actions against the violators including arrests and resistance.  

As per many religious scholars, being in contact with a dog, petting it and having its saliva on any part of your body is a sign of impurity, najis, and some of them also view them as a sign of western cultural influence. From time to time, the authorities have ensured the prevention of dogs walking in public spaces. The authorities even caught them and kept them in vehicles as part of a big move which discouraged keeping pets. Reformist newspaper Etemad said on Sunday, quoting an official, as saying that “legal action will be taken against violators.” The official did not give more details.  

The newspaper said that the latest ban is aimed at “maintaining public order, ensuring safety and protecting public health.” The Iran newspaper, Abbas Najafi, quoted the prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, who said, “Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort.” There is no national legislation as of now to ban walking dogs in public. The action is implemented through local directives and police orders. Some articles in Iran's Penal Code and Constitution have provisions to allow such bans.