Iran to Enforce Strict Crackdown on Dog Walking Amid Health and Cultural Concerns

When Iran initially imposed a ban on walking dogs in 2019, few dog owners appeared overly concerned. However, following years of lax enforcement, authorities have recently vowed to adopt a much stricter approach, according to state media.

Prosecutors in at least 20 cities have cited public health risks and threats to public safety as reasons to intensify the implementation of these prohibitions, which cover both walking dogs and transporting them in vehicles.

Mohammad Hossein Doroudi, the prosecutor in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, declared on Monday that walking dogs constitutes a clear offense and outlined plans for enforcement in his jurisdiction.

The Iranian government has long viewed dogs as symbols of Western cultural influence. Much of the opposition to dogs stems from religious beliefs, as dogs are regarded as "najis" or ritually impure within Islam.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a religious decree explaining that contact with dog saliva or fur renders anything it touches—be it people, clothing, or surfaces—impure.

The decree stated explicitly that prayers are invalid in the presence of dog hair.

Doroudi noted that enforcement of this law had been lax for the past two years but emphasized that officials now intend to apply it much more rigorously. In Mashhad, violators will first receive warnings but may face fines or have their dogs confiscated if they continue to disregard the rule.

He further described dog walking as a health hazard and classified it as a criminal act under laws addressing harassment of women and children.

In Iran, skepticism toward dogs as companion animals is common. While some accept the presence of guard dogs, many consider the idea of dogs as "man's best friend" to be excessive.

When the ban was announced in 2019, hardline politician Hamidreza Taraghi remarked that complaints to the police about dogs were increasing.

He criticized dog owners for spending billions annually on pet food despite the country's economic hardships, arguing that such funds should be redirected to more pressing needs.

Nonetheless, many Iranians cherish their pets. At the time, Tehran resident Asal Bahrierad expressed strong attachment to her Shih Tzu terrier, Teddy, stating that not even the police could take him away. She also noted that the ban was not strictly enforced, saying police were generally tolerant during her daily walks.

For some, walking a dog in public represents a quiet form of resistance against the Iranian government’s longstanding efforts to impose Islamic lifestyle norms and limit civil freedoms.

Efforts to restrict dogs in public spaces have been reported in cities including Tabriz in western Iran and Kerman in the east.

In Isfahan, located in central Iran, city prosecutor Seyed Mohammad Moussavian ordered law enforcement to confiscate vehicles violating the rules and to close unauthorized veterinary clinics and pet stores.

In Hamadan, western Iran, the provincial prosecutor’s office stated that walking dogs or driving with them violates religious and social values and poses a public health risk. Abbas Najafi, the provincial prosecutor, said dog walking threatens the health, comfort, and peace of citizens.

He pledged serious actions against offenders and instructed police to systematically seize vehicles found transporting dogs.

Despite the crackdown, dog owners in Tehran appear undeterred, as evidenced by the growing number of veterinary clinics in the capital. About 25 years ago, Tehran had only one small animal clinic staffed by trainee veterinarians; today, the city boasts dozens of such facilities.