According to Iranian police, walking dogs in parks is a crime in the capital, Tehran. The ban was justified on the basis of public safety. The Iranian parliament could soon approve a bill limiting pet ownership across the board. A special committee would issue permits to pet owners under the proposed legislation. For “imports, purchases, sales, transportation, and keeping” of animals, such as cats, turtles, and rabbits. A minimum fine of approximately $800 (£670;790 euros) would be imposed as well.
Westernization could be the reason for the possible ban.
As the 20th century progressed, dogs also became symbols of urban life in Iran’s rural areas. A decade after passing animal welfare laws in 1948, Iran was the first country in the Middle East to fund the first animal rights institution. It was not uncommon for the country’s royal family to keep dogs as pets. However, Iranians and their dogs have experienced many changes as a result of the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Iran Veterinary Association president Dr Payam Mohebi, an opponent of the bill, said that debates over the bill began about a decade ago when a group of Iranian MPs advocated for confiscating dogs and releasing them into zoos or deserts. Several changes have taken place over the years, and even corporal punishment has been discussed, but it did not work. Islamic tradition considers animals impure. In the new regime’s eyes, dogs were also a symbol of “Westernization.” As a result of police forces’ interpretation of what can be considered Westernization symbols, they arrest people walking their dogs or even driving with them in their cars.
A large part of the reason for the new bill is related to Iran’s economic woes due to years of sanctions imposed by the West. Attempts to preserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves have led to a three-year ban on pet food imports. With foreign brands dominating the landscape, local prices spiked, especially once an underground market was established. Consequently, prices have increased five-fold since a few months ago. Aside from this, local pet food does not meet standards. Factories are producing poor-quality products using cheap meat and fish or even expired ingredients.
Trouble in feline paradise
It is important to note, however, that the new legislation is not only applicable to dogs. Crocodiles are mentioned on the list of animals, along with cats. Persian cats, one of the most famous breeds in the world, were born in Iran.
Can you imagine that they are now threatened in their homeland?
“If the bill passes, the next generation will remember us as people who banned dogs and cats for being dogs and cats”, added Dr Mohebi, president of the Iranian Veterinary Association.
