Iran Has Bad News for Dog Owners

Walking your dog in Iran? That could land you in trouble. The country has rolled out a sweeping ban on dog walking in at least 18 cities, mirroring a 2019 police order that barred the practice in the capital, Tehran, the BBC reports. Bans were instituted in recent days in the cities of Isfahan, Kerman, and Ilam. The new rules also make it illegal to transport dogs in vehicles. Authorities claim the move protects "public health," with a prosecutor in Hamedan calling dog walking a threat to "peace and comfort."

Dog ownership has long been frowned upon by Iran's conservative rulers, who call dogs "unclean" and denounce them as Western imports. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has labeled keeping dogs (unless for herding, hunting, or security) "reprehensible." Still, pet ownership is on the rise, especially among the young. Some skirt the rules by walking dogs at night or driving to secluded spots. An official in Ilam said "legal action" would be taken against anyone found violating the new rules, though there've been issues with enforcement in the past, per the Guardian.