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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Outdoors blog

Americans love their dogs; not so in Iran

American dog in a USA flag.
American dog in a USA flag.

HUNTING -- I had some interesting conversations over meals with a professor from Iran a few years ago centered on our common love for hunting chukars. We don't hear much about that part of Middle Eastern culture, but he was a solid enthusiast for walking the steep river canyons and swinging a shotgun for sport.

I made my gaffe when I expressed dismay that he hunted alone without a bird dog.  He winced a bit but was polite.

Still clueless, I invited him to hunt with me and experience the excitement of hunting behind a pointing dog.

He respectfully declined and that was that.

Later I learned that buying and selling dogs is illegal in Iran. Iran’s parliament also passed a bill to criminalize dog ownership, declaring the phenomenon a sign of “vulgar Western values.” 

Pursuing birds without a dog would leave a huge hole in my experience, so I'll be hunting my chukars here in the United States of America, which has the highest dog population in the world.

YOO-ESS-AY! YOO-ESS-AY! 

France has the second highest and some South American countries may rival our country for dog populations, except  nobody seems to own all the strays that roam the streets.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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