We have previously discussed violence and legal measures targeting dogs by some Muslims who view canines as “unclean.” Even postcards with dogs and service dogs (and here) have raised the ire of some Muslim groups. Now this issue is getting some long-needed attention in Iran after a short film that showed stray dogs being tortured and killed by having acid injected into them.
The video was taken an industrial area of Shiraz, 900 kilometres south of Tehran. The animal activists claimed that those responsible paid $4 for each dog. As with environmentalists in China, I have always had overwhelming respect and admiration for secularists and animal (particularly dog) advocates in Muslim countries. This is more than an impressive commitment to principle but putting your actual life on the line for those principles.
The good news is that the Iranian government is acting on the video. While there was an effort to criminalize the ownership of dogs under Sharia law (and subject dog owners to up to 74 lashed last year), Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar has called for an investigation into the video. While she referred rather mildly to the practice as “an immediate end to unconventional population control method[] for stray dogs,” she did call upon the interior ministry to “deal with the criminals responsible”.
Some Iranian celebrities like Ali Karimi, once a star on Iran’s national football team, posted a picture with his two dogs on Instagram and the message “Dogs are the kindest domestic animals. I hope those who, under any excuse, did this to these animals get what they deserve.”
Paul C. …the Himalayan Mastiff is an ancient bred that has a remaining large gene pool throughout Asia…it is not a re-creation, but nor is it a true Mastiff. They are notable mountain dogs with protective instincts for both livestock and their people.
Paul C. …vis a vis Neo’s and guard work, you’ve been mislead. They’re nasty to everyone and anyone and could care less about protecting anyone or thing. The ultimate in “handler hard”…not a good thing. A friend, against my advice, bought one as a pup…and at 18 months it took 4 policemen to pull him off her during a severe mauling on their own front porch. 65+ stitches later, she told me “I should have listened to you.” Guard dog my shiny heiny.
Reconstituted “ancient” dogs from very small & suspect gene pools are seldom successes….but the AKC will still recognize them. The AKC would recognize a three legged cross eyed saber toothed 150 lb Chihuahua if presented to them. Spit.
Aridog –
This could make the finals at Westminster more interesting. 😉
Paul C. …you are welcome anytime. I am certain I can cure your aversion to German Shepherds, or another working breed for that matter.
Uhm…I’ll make an exception for the newly re-constituted Neapolitan Mastiffs…they’re untrustworthy always….now bred from an v-e-r-y small gene pool to allegedly be the Roman War dog of Julius Caesar’s legions. Why would anyone seek to do that?
Aridog – I understand the Neopolitan Mastiff is a hell of a guard dog. 🙂 I asked my friend in China to bring me back on of the Himalayan Mastiffs. They have dropped out of popularity in China and people are giving them away. 🙂
Karen S … here is the LINK you need. They will have lists of events, from small local clubs to regional and national events. There’s bound to one in your area (which I am not sure of) that would happy to have you as a visitor. 🙂
Aridog – you’ve reminded me that I’d really like to see Schutzhund trials again. I’ve only seen a few. The dogs were really amazing. I used to know a woman who was training her dogs in everything possible – search and rescue, tracking, Schutzhund. She would rattle off titles and terms that went right over my head.
She is the person I was house-sitting for when I ran into that mountain lion. I kept one of her GSDs with me while I fed her horses, so I would feel like my spine was a little stiffer every morning when I’d see fresh, huge, tracks. I had my rifle slung over my shoulder, but didn’t worry about anything sneaking up on me with that dog nearby. I was very happy to have him with me!
There has been a lot of comment about “tolerance”…which I find amusing, since I define “tolerance” as that behavior whilst you look for a big enough rock to kill your opposite party. You must dig deeper and find commonalties, and acceptance, not “tolerance.” Even when fighting enemies. If you can get inside their head(s) you win. I am v-e-r-y sure those baseball kids I’ve cited didn’t think of me and my associate as big tall white guys trying to kill them all. Kids have a better perspective most of the time. When Islamic radicals try to indoctrinate kids with their own hatred, as they show with sundry photos and videos, they are seeking to eliminate the natural order of things.
Y’all better lighten up of Bob, Karen, and I will start talking about German Shepherds again 🙂
PS: Paul C…..if you are ever in my area, Metro Detroit and Dearborn, email me (it’s on my profile) and I’ll happily introduce you to one or more affable German Shepherds who will not bite you…but you might get licked and cuddled to death 🙂 Dogs react to their environment and I doubt the one that bit you had a very good one. A Chihuahua or a Peakiness, will do exactly the same thing. When new folks come to my yard and want to visit up close, if they exhibit any apprehension I tell them to come in and sit down, quietly, on one the benches available and let the dog(s) come to them. It has never failed to work. Dogs check you out, sense your apprehension, and react accordingly..e.g., gently. Then it is off to play time…throw a kong toy for them and they’re your best buddies forever. A well trained dog, of several of the “working” breeds, not just GSD’s, knows when to bite and when NOT to bite. Getting to that understanding with them takes 3+ hours per day, not necessarily all at one time, every day for about 3 years. If one doesn’t have the time or patience to teach (10 to 15 minutes of training then 20+ minutes of play, rinse and repeat, they get what they get…a confused dog. Including Chihuahuas. Those lazy folks don’t need to own a dog….they create “fear biters” not stable aloof dogs.
Aridog – I have tried to convince my wife that we should get a RV and travel the country. I have seen all the states in the west and would love to go to Detroit. It is on my list. If I head that way I will let you know. 🙂
I give you that one, bam! I am indeed grammatically inferior…2 out of 3 ain’t bad though!
You are intellectually, morally and grammatically inferior. Poor po. Keep aiming for the stars.
It’s laziness cost you, not laziness costed you.
By the way, that fatwa is indeed in the last issue of fatwa R us…laziness costed you…you should have looked it up
Sigh! Really, bam, having lost the intellectual and moral war now you want to wage a grammatical fight?
Well, here it goes:
I did not say that YOU ARE seeing fatwas where there are none
I said:
“it is kinda like YOUR SEEING….” the taking of a verb and offering it nominal qualities thereby turning it into a noun. So YOUR becomes a form of the possessive case of you used as an attributive adjective, kinda like in YOUR shoes.
Put another way…
“It is kinda like THE FACT THAT YOU SEE(or saw) a fatwa where there is none.”
Anything else?
po
For the record, it’s YOU’RE seeing fatwa, not YOUR seeing fatwa.
I provided you with several articles, which all mention the fatwa, for Ms. Ali. Seems like nothing that anyone ever provides to you, with regard to definitions or examples, ever suffices. Do you want me to find the monthly magazine, entitled Fatwas R Us, to satisfy you? Since I’m unable to access that, I cited several articles which prove my point, that there is, indeed, a fatwa issued against this woman. You’re slipping. Big time.
is it kinda like your seeing fatwa where there is none, bam?
Have you found it yet?