Dog owners in Iran could be punished with 74 lashes
Pets could be confiscated under a tough new law to combat the 'invasion' of Western culture

Dog lovers in Iran could face physical punishment or a hefty fine for owning or even walking a dog if a new draft bill is passed.
"Walking dogs, trading them or keeping them at home will be punishable by 74 lashes or a fine of 1m to 10m Tomans [£200 to £2,000]," an Iranian newspaper reports.
Hard-line clerics view dog ownership as an "invasion" of Western culture. Under the new law, the animals will be confiscated and may be sent off to zoos, forests or the wilderness, according to Reuters. Certain people will be excempt, including police officers, farmers and hunters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Anyone who walks or plays with animals such as dogs or monkeys in public places will damage Islamic culture, as well as the hygiene and peace of others, especially women and children," the draft law states.
Under Islamic tradition, dogs are often considered "unclean", but some Iranians do keep them as pets, particularly in affluent areas where people have been exposed to different cultures.
"Global norms and values capture the heart of people all around the world, and Iran is no exception," said Omid Memarian, a prominent Iranian journalist specialising in human rights. "This is very frightening for Iranian officials, who find themselves in a cultural war with the West and see what they're offering as an 'Islamic lifestyle' failing measurably."
Currently, dog ownership is not explicitly illegal, but it is heavily frowned upon by the authorities and state media routinely lectures the population on the diseases they spread. In light of this, walking one's dog is often seen as "a symbol of resistance" against the regime, the Guardian reports.
Government authorities regularly round up street dogs in the major cities and exterminate them. Many ordinary Iranians find this practice "offensive and cruel," says Memarian. "It's like the Iranian people and officials live in two different worlds."
It is unclear whether the bill will pass, but the majority conservative parliament is likely to hold similar views to those behind the proposal.
For many people, such measures "are a firm reminder that the government will brook no disobedience", reports Time magazine.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 20, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Pam Bondi, retirement planning, and more
By The Week US
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK