The Islamic Republic of Iran has had an unfavorable opinion of having pets over the last few years. The country is now considering a law to ban pets such as dogs, cats, and even crocodiles. The Iranian government plans to approve a new law that will make it illegal for the general population to have animals without a special permit.
The Parliament of Iran is on the verge of passing the "Protection of Public's Rights Against Animals" bill, which outlaws pet ownership without a permit issued by a special committee. Those found in opposition to this law would be subjected to a fine of around $800 and can be detained. The permit can only be used for "importing, buying, selling, transporting, and rearing animals.
Many conservative Iranian authorities have previously tried to ban dogs altogether. Having dogs at home is considered unhygienic in traditional Iranian culture. In Islam, dogs are considered to be impure animals.
The local police in Tehran started a crackdown on citizens who were walking their dogs in public parks as a measure to protect the safety of the public.
The President of the Iran Veterinary Association, Dr. Payam Mohebi, is against the bill. He stated, "Debates around this bill started more than a decade ago when a group of Iranian MPs tried to promote a law to confiscate all dogs and give them to zoos or leave them in deserts."
"Over the years, they have changed this a couple of times and even discussed corporal punishment for dog owners. But their plan didn't get anywhere."
Iran has gone through numerous changes over the past few decades. Iran was one of the first nations to have animal protection laws in the middle east. In 1948, when the first laws were passed, the then government had a much more positive stance on animal welfare. The Iranian royal family was known to have pet dogs.
Tehran authorities justified their decision to protect and uphold public safety, but the reason is very conservative and ideological. Since the Islamic revolution of 1979, pets such as dogs have been considered unclean. Dogs are seen as a symbol of Westernization. This law is partly a response to sanctions that the Western nations had imposed on Iran. The government banned pet food import three years ago to preserve the country's foreign currency reserves.
The authorities are also targeting other animals such as cats and even crocodiles. The country where the famous Persian cats originated may soon lose their homeland. The authorities have even created prisons for dogs.
Some people say pets are just "animals," while others say they are as important to them as their own family and friends. Although having pets might become troublesome and sometimes even a burden under various circumstances, the joy of having a pet outweighs the demerits.
