The Forbidden Dogs

<p dir="ltr">In Iran, having a dog- as a pet- has been illegal based on an unwritten law for many years. However, in January 2019, walking dogs in public and carrying them in cars became legally banned. In this major research project, I will examine the existence of pet dogs in Persian cultural history and the lifestyle of dogs and their owners in the country in the present day. As the ban is based on religious laws, I will also show two different interpretations of Islamic rules related to dogs.</p><p dir="ltr">The Forbidden Dogs, a documentary film and companion to this paper, is a visual ethnography research project exploring the experience of having a forbidden dog and why their owners choose to make a choice that is illegal and thus adding more stress to their already stressful lives-in terms of lacking freedom, financial problems due to inflation, unemployment, and the precarious state of the country's economy. This MRP is about all these lovely creatures in the city I was born in and shows how the inhabitants exercise their freedom, struggle with various problems created by the religious governors, how resilient they are, and how they try to be happy despite the circumstances.</p><p dir="ltr">Key Words: Dog, Iran/Persia, Islam/Religion, Culture, Freedom</p>