Pity Iran’s pet pooches, which are now being derided as symbols of effete Western affectation by guardians of the Islamic revolution. Iranian police have created a “prison” for dogs whose owners flout a ban on walking them in public.

The ban was put in place last year but is only now being enforced as part of sweeping curbs on “unIslamic behaviour”. Dogs are considered unclean in Islamic law and hardliners believe that keeping them as pets is “morally depraved”, a Western-inspired fad like make-up, baseball caps and pop music.

Short-legged dogs are viewed with particular suspicion – as if they were political dissidents. Cats, renowned for their cleanliness, can, however, roam the country unpersecuted. Keeping dogs is becoming more popular, particularly in fashionable north Tehran, where pet parlours are doing brisk business.

One young woman complained to Radio Farda, a Farsi-language station, that her puppy had been detained for 48 hours for “walking in public” – before it was released on bail. Dog-lovers tend to keep a low profile, taking Fifi and Spot out after dark or driving them to the mountains north of Tehran for walkies away from the attentions of the authorities.

Exceptions have been made for specially trained dogs that detect drugs or earthquake victims and dogs that are kept for hunting or guarding property are tolerated. The ancient Persians used large mastiffs as fearsome shock troops.

“Hunting dogs are OK,” says Ali Reza, the proud owner of two Salukis, a breed admired for its speed, stamina and endurance. “The problem is just with the little dogs that women put in their handbags or on their shoulders to attract attention.” Such dogs are fashion accessories, helpful in striking up flirtatious conversations with the opposite sex in the street, Reza says.

So, Paris Hilton be warned: if you go on holiday to Iran, don’t let your Chihuahua peep out of its Louis Vuitton carrying-case.

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