Kurdistan Region fatwa bans cosmetic surgery on animals, permits medical procedures

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Region's Supreme Iftar Council has issued a fatwa regulating surgical procedures on animals, declaring medically necessary operations permissible while prohibiting cosmetic ones. The ruling states that surgical procedures carried out for treatment are considered permissible and even recommended under Islamic teachings, provided they do not cause unnecessary harm to the animal. Procedures performed solely for appearance were classified as impermissible, on the grounds that they amount to altering God's creation, exposing animals to needless risk and constituting waste. The council specifically condemned interventions carried out for display, beauty competitions or commercial gain, describing them as falling outside the bounds of lawful use of animals. The decision is grounded in Islamic teachings that call for compassion toward animals. The fatwa marks the first formal religious guidance from the council on the issue, which had not previously been the subject of a published ruling in the region.