Ban on Westernization Prompts No Pet Policy In Iran
Iran isn’t going to allow you to keep a pet anymore. In fact, you can be arrested for keeping a pet, if you don’t possess the right permit. This also comes with a restriction on pet owners not being allowed to take pets for walks into greener pastures and parks. Police has announced it as a crime. The ban was justified as a measure to "protect the safety of the public". This also comes along with Iranian parliament’s decision of imposing the Protection of the Public's Rights Against Animals bill, which would restrict pet ownership across the board. A minimum fine of $800 (790 euros; £670) would be levied on pet owners who “import, purchase and sale, transport or keep” a range of animals, including common pets such as cats, turtles and rabbits, without the requisite permit. Corporal punishment also seems to be on the cards; but till date has not happened. Keeping dogs has always been common in Iran's rural areas, but the animals also became a symbol of urban life...