Iran Intensifies Enforcement Against Dog Walking Amid Cultural Concerns

Although Iran implemented a ban on dog walking in 2019, many pet owners initially paid little attention due to limited enforcement. However, recent announcements from officials indicate a renewed commitment to strict enforcement.

Prosecutors in more than 20 cities have pointed to concerns over public health and safety as justification for intensifying the crackdown, which targets both walking dogs and transporting them in vehicles.

Mohammad Hossein Doroudi, the prosecutor in Mashhad, declared dog walking to be an explicit offense. He outlined that violators in Iran’s second-largest city will receive warnings initially, with fines or confiscation of pets imposed on repeat offenders.

The opposition to dogs in Iran is deeply influenced by religious views, where dogs are deemed "najes," or ritually impure, under Islamic teachings. This perspective has also been linked to resistance against Western cultural influences.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a religious decree explaining that contact with dog saliva or fur contaminates people, clothing, or surfaces, invalidating prayers and requiring ritual cleansing.

After a period of lax enforcement over the past two years, authorities now intend to apply the ban more rigorously, signaling a shift toward stricter regulation of pet ownership and public behavior involving dogs.