Iran Expands Dog-Walking Ban to 18 Cities

Iran has expanded its ban on dog walking to multiple cities, enforcing restrictions rooted in religious and cultural beliefs amid rising pet ownership seen as a form of youthful rebellion against the regime.

Iranian authorities have extended a ban on dog walking to at least 18 cities across the country, citing concerns over public order, health, and safety. The restrictions mirror a 2019 police order that prohibited dog walking in the capital, Tehran, and now include a ban on transporting dogs in vehicles.

Dog ownership has long been frowned upon in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with dogs regarded as "unclean" by authorities and seen as a symbol of Western cultural influence. Despite these efforts to discourage pet ownership, it has become increasingly popular among younger Iranians, who view it as a subtle form of rebellion against the strict and conservative regime.

In the western city of Ilam, where the ban was implemented on Sunday, officials have warned that legal action will be taken against anyone violating the new rules, according to local media.

Enforcement of previous restrictions has been inconsistent, and many dog owners continue to walk their pets in public areas across Tehran and other cities. Although no national law explicitly prohibits dog ownership, prosecutors often impose local restrictions enforced by the police.

“Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace and comfort,” Abbas Najafi, the prosecutor of the western city of Hamedan, told the state newspaper Iran. Some dog owners have been arrested, and their pets confiscated for walking dogs in public.

In response, many owners have taken to walking their dogs in secluded areas late at night or driving them around to avoid detection. The practice of pet ownership is considered un-Islamic by politicians within Iran’s theocratic regime. Many religious scholars consider contact with dogs, particularly their saliva, to be "najis" — or ritually impure.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has previously described dog ownership—other than for herding, hunting, or security purposes—as “reprehensible.” In 2021, 75 lawmakers condemned dog ownership as a “destructive social problem” that could “gradually change the Iranian and Islamic way of life.”

Critics argue that the police should prioritise addressing violent crime rather than targeting dog owners and restricting personal freedoms. Dog ownership, along with defying mandatory hijab laws, attending underground parties, and consuming alcohol, has long been viewed as a quiet form of protest against Iran’s theocratic regime.

As the government increases crackdowns on personal freedoms, the extension of the dog-walking ban highlights the ongoing tensions between Iran’s authorities and a younger generation seeking greater social liberties.