Turkmenistan restricts export of local Alabay dog breed

A man dressed in a national costume runs with his Alabay shepherd dog during Dog Day celebrations in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, last year (AP)

The Central Asian nation of Turkmenistan is now requiring that its celebrated Alabay dog breed receive a passport before it can leave the country.

A law that took effect on Tuesday requires that all puppies of the breed, which is also known as the Central Asian shepherd dog, be marked in the government’s pedigree book and register of pedigree dogs.