A draft law in Iran stipulates that keeping pets is a punishable offense. In Tehran, the police are already making life difficult for dog owners. Those affected fear for their animals – and for themselves.
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Sina Maria Schweikle
When the young woman talks about her dog Luna, she lowers her voice. “You have to be careful if you want to walk your dog,” says the 28-year-old quietly. “When driving, Luna is not even allowed to stick her head out of the window.” The Spitz has long reddish hair, you can imagine how difficult it is to hide such a big dog. Now he is sitting next to his owner in the front yard of her house. The woman has agreed to a video call, but she prefers not to make her name public out of fear. It’s all about dogs, a topic that is part of everyday life in many places around the world. But Luna and her owner don’t live anywhere, they live in Tehran – and the police there recently banned walking in parks and green spaces.