Iran Expands Dog-Walking Ban Amid Broader Social Crackdown

Iran has broadened its controversial ban on walking dogs in public, a move critics view as part of a wider campaign by the authorities to assert control over public life and reinforce conservative Islamic values. Once limited to Tehran, the ban now affects at least 18 cities across the country, including major urban centers like Isfahan, Hamadan, Ilam, and Kerman.

A Nationwide Expansion of Restrictions

The latest directive builds on a 2019 police order that prohibited dog walking in the capital. The expanded policy now bans walking dogs in all public spaces—including streets, parks, markets, and areas around historical and cultural monuments—and prohibits transporting dogs in vehicles. Additionally, unauthorized pet shops and veterinary clinics face forced closure.

Iranian officials have defended the decision as necessary “to maintain public order, ensure safety, and protect public health.” Authorities in several cities have warned of strict legal consequences for violations, which may include fines, arrest, and the seizure of both vehicles and dogs.

Religious and Ideological Underpinnings

Dog ownership has long been a controversial issue in Iran, especially since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Many clerics regard dogs as “impure” and symbols of Western influence, making pet ownership a target of moral and cultural scrutiny.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously declared that keeping dogs should only be permissible for herding, hunting, or guarding purposes, and should otherwise be condemned. In 2021, dozens of Iranian lawmakers denounced pet ownership as a “destructive social problem” that threatens Iran’s Islamic lifestyle.

Former conservative MP Hasan Shojaei echoed these sentiments, lamenting that dogs—once kept for protection—are now living inside homes. “They have taken the place of children,” he said, describing the trend as “modern and Western-oriented.” On the social media platform X, Shojaei added, “This belongs neither to us, nor to our Iran, nor to our Islam.”

Resistance and Public Backlash

Despite the pressure, many Iranians view pet ownership—and especially dog walking—as a quiet form of defiance against rigid social controls, comparable to flouting compulsory hijab rules or participating in underground gatherings.

Payam Mohebbi, former head of the Iranian Veterinary Association, criticized the policy as unjust. “The authorities are targeting the most harmless members of society—those whose only desire is to show love to another living being,” he told Radio Farda.

Legal expert Ali Mojtahedzadeh compared the crackdown on dog ownership to earlier attempts to ban satellite television and enforce hijab regulations, calling such efforts “a failure.” In a published article, he wrote, “What is truly surprising is that we continue down the same path and refuse to acknowledge reality.”

A Broader Pattern of Control

Though there is no national law explicitly banning dog ownership in Iran, local authorities enforce these restrictions through municipal directives, police guidelines, and selective interpretations of the country’s Penal Code and Constitution under the guise of protecting public morality and health.

Iranian media estimate that there are between 6 and 8 million domestic pets in the country, including dogs and cats. As the state tightens its grip on public behavior, many citizens continue to push back—often in quiet, symbolic ways—asserting their right to private life and personal choice.