On the second evening of the 73rd edition of the Sanremo Festival, Drusilla and Pegah Moshir talk about the non-existent freedoms in Iran, including that of having a pet.
Indeed, in the summer of 2022 there was talk of a draft law “anti-animal“, which effectively prevents the possession of pets. Above all dogs and cats, but also turtles, rabbits and… alligators. Yet Iran is the homeland of the Persian cat. Here’s what happened.
The arrests in Tehran
In public parks Teheran there has been a wave of arrests for dog owners, in some cases the confiscation of the dogs themselves, who end up malnourished in kennels lager. Walking the dog in the park or even just transporting it in a car is already a crime in Iran, as he said The print.
Even the import of Pet Food it has already been banned for several years in this country, precisely to discourage its adoption or purchase. The result? A dense network of businesses illegal.
Meanwhile a new anti-animal rights bill was proposed to parliament last summer by the majority party.
The draft law
No word yet on whether or not the bill has passed, but the goal is to forbid il transportthe custodythe sale and theimport of pets.
Fines for violators hover around 800 €,. To legally own a pet you will need to apply to a special committee about issuing a special permit, by paying an annual fee. Animal welfare and veterinary associations are protesting loudly.
The official reason
According to the drawing, from the name Protection of the Public’s Rights Against Animals, the official reason would be a matter of public health.
According to the parliamentarians, pets are vectors of diseases, “create impurities”, cause “psychological damage” and “stress” as well as “damaging people’s spirits” and being “dangerous”.
Thanks to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, Iranian extremists have found bread for their teeth. Furthermore, “the situation has worsened after the sanctions imposed by the West on Iran for non-compliance with the nuclear agreements,” he writes La Stampa.it.
Having a pet is a symbol of “Westernization”
According to Islamic extremists, having a pet is a symbol of Westernization, which distracts from Islamic culture.
The dog, in particular, is considered by the writings as “a be unclean”. Yet things were very different in Iran before ’48: the government was the first to issue a animal welfare law in the Middle East; the Persian royal family was photographed happy with their dogs.
Then the Islamic revolution of ’79 completely changed the fate of this country, both for people and animals: just think of Persian cats, one of the most loved feline breeds, which today is no longer safe in its country of origin .