Iran takes action against pet owning

In Iran, keeping dogs and cats has become increasingly popular in recent years, especially with young people. For hardliners in the Iranian parliament, it has now become too popular, apparently. A bill entitled "Protection of the Public's Rights Against Animals" was put on parliament's agenda last week with the backing of 75 lawmakers. It would make illegal the buying, selling and keeping of pets, from dogs and cats to snakes, hamsters, and rabbits.
Hardliners argue that dogs can cause "serious nuisance and bodily harm to people" when left unattended in shared areas of apartment blocks. This is seen against the background that in Islam, dogs are considered "unclean" animals. The draft bill proposes high fines of between 900 and 2 700 dollars and confiscation of pets for infringement of a ban on keeping pets. Property owners would in future no longer be able to let their properties out to dog and cat owners. Anyone seen taking a dog out for a walk could be punished with up to three months in prison. The hope is that even among conservative members of parliament, the proposed draft bill will be subject to serious debate.