Walking dogs in public or driving them around in cars is set to be banned in Iran.

Now dog owners fear their pets will be ‘arrested’ if they are caught in public and they could also face a fine.

It is the latest attempted crackdown on dogs in the country, where the animals are viewed as unclean.

In 2011, authorities threatened to criminalise dog ownership and said the growing popularity of keeping the pets ‘poses a cultural problem, blind imitation of the vulgar Western culture’.

However the Iranian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has questioned whether this is illegal and said that now law forbids dog ownership, according to AFP.

It said dozens of dogs had been ‘arrested’ and were taken to ‘undisclosed locations’.

Dog owners are now walking their pets at night to avoid detection.

Despite the threats, sales of dogs are still booming.

Pet shop owners and vets said sales of dogs have risen sharply in recent years.

Dogs are considered ‘unclean’ but guard dogs are common and tolerated, although they are not usually allowed into homes.

Specially trained dogs, such as those that detect drugs, or sheepdogs are also allowed.