ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Authorities in Iran banned walking dogs in public spaces in Ilam province on Sunday, following similar directives the day before, cracking down on the practice in 17 other cities, citing public health and safety reasons. 

 

The decision has been in place in capital Tehran since 2019. 

 

Local news outlets on Sunday said that “legal action will be taken against violators,” quoting an Ilam official. The measure follows a similar directive on Saturday that saw dog walking banned in the province of Ardabil, citing “protecting public rights.”

 

Dog ownership and walking has been a sensitive topic in Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979.

 

Islamic doctrine frowns upon keeping dogs as indoor pets and views their saliva as an impurity. Islam discourages keeping dogs as pets by deducting a certain amount of reward from those who practice it.

 

While there is no law in Iran banning the ownership of dogs outright, the measures against walking the animal serve as a deterrent to dog ownership as a whole. Dog walking is an integral part of keeping dogs as pets, and is usually considered both a physical and mental requirement. 

 

The ban was introduced in 2019 in Tehran, and now covers prominent Iranian cities like Isfahan, Kerman, Ardabil, Hamedan, and Ilam. The law, however, is loosely enforced, with many owners still walking their dogs across Iran.

 

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously called dog ownership “reprehensible” unless it is for “herding, hunting and guard dogs,” adding that the practice is “forbidden” if it is done in promotion of non-Muslim culture and causes harm to neighbors.