Dog owners dismayed
A ban on dogs in public is sending fur flying in Iran, report Melissa Etehad and Ramin Mostaghim, of the Los Angeles Times.
A ban on walking dogs in public in Teheran, and on transporting them in cars, has upset dog owners in the city, many of whom have vowed to ignore the new ruling. Hardliners say keeping dogs runs counter to Islamic teachings and imitates corrupt Western culture.
HANDS in his pockets on a cool, windy Teheran night, Behnam Hedayat was engaged in a seemingly benign activity, something tens of millions of people do every day: walking a dog.
In this case it was his terrier Shika, who he says is ‘‘as dear as my child’’.
But under a ban announced last week by hardline authorities, walking a dog in public or transporting it by car could put the authorities on Hedayat’s tail.
‘‘The police have many other things to deal with like muggers, burglars and car robbers,’’ he said.
‘‘If the police hassle my dog, I will resist and fight for my dog with the police.’’
Despite its rising popularity among Iranians, the pet seen in the West as man’s best friend is perceived by religious hardliners in Iran as an example of corrupt Western culture.
Owning a dog should be forbidden, they say, because Islamic teachings say dogs are najes, or untouchable, because they are dirty.
In announcing the public prohibition, Teheran police chief Hossein Rahimi claimed dogs cause fear and anxiety in public spaces.
‘‘Police have received permission from the judiciary branch to crack down on people walking dogs in Teheran,’’ Rahimi told the Young Journalists Club news site, a mouthpiece for Iran’s political establishment.
‘‘Carrying dogs in cars is also banned and if a dog is seen inside the car, police will confront the owner of the dog.’’
Nezakat Alouloj was walking her small terrier in a park west of Teheran shortly after learning of the ban and was among those who reacted with fury about the possibility of becoming an outlaw for escorting a pooch in public.
‘‘He is toilet trained and is my soul mate,’’ Alouloj said of her tiny companion.
She predicted authorities would not succeed in enforcing a ban because dog ownership was becoming increasingly popular.
‘‘More pet dogs are being adopted by families. Authorities will soon forget the ban.’’
Homa Arderoudi owns a German shepherd named Sita. She also criticised the announcement and said authorities should be adapting themselves to the changing tastes and lifestyles of Iranians.
Arderoudi plans to ignore authorities because her dog is more than a pet. It is her only companion.
‘‘I have two grownup sons, one in asylum in Sweden and one seeking asylum and now based in Istanbul. I have nobody except my dog,’’ she said.
‘‘The Government has a lot of more important problems to deal with.’’
Several weeks before the ban was announced, Shafagh Divanpour gripped the leash of three dogs — Charlie, Rouko and Bonti — as they bolted ahead.
The two cocker spaniels and cavalier mix were a surprising sight for people who caught a glimpse of them walking in the park.
Stunned pedestrians stopped Divanpour to ask him what he was doing with three dogs. He took advantage of his newfound popularity to encourage onlookers to pet them.
‘‘Please be responsible parents,’’ he told them.
‘‘If you cannot afford to be longterm friends with your dog, don’t adopt. Dogs are sensitive and faithful, and if you abandon them they suffer.’’
Financially strapped and unemployed, Divanpour is one of a growing number of young professionals turning toward a new industry in Teheran that’s raising eyebrows: dog walking.
For the city’s professional dog walkers, the job represents a passion and a source of income.
The unemployment rate among university graduates in Iran is more than 35%, according to Iran’s Labour and Welfare Ministry. But Divanpour said that on the days he worked 12 hours, he earnt nearly $US100 ($NZ146).
Still, fears of a crackdown are already affecting dog walkers such as Divanpour. Some dog owners, worried about police seizing their beloved canines, are cancelling the service.
‘‘My dog walking assignment has been reduced to half since the announcement was made,’’ Divanpour said.
Dog ownership has been a contentious topic in the decades after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Since then, authorities have confiscated dogs and lawmakers have threatened to punish with 74 lashes those owners who walk their dog in public.
Yet to the dismay of conservatives, Iranians from the middle and upper classes have been increasingly embracing dogs as loyal companions in recent years.
For instance, in 2017, animal activists called for legislation to punish animal cruelty.
According to Petchi, a website dedicated to connecting dog owners with trained dog walkers, there are about 1.2 million pet dogs across Iran and about 350,000 of them are in Teheran.
Divanpour remains hopeful the cultural shift toward owning a dog will prevail.
‘‘I believe this issue will be forgotten,’’ he said.
‘‘Dog owners must be brave and assert their own rights and their animals’ rights.’’ — TCA