What to do with the dog when you leave your home behind is the great dilemma that worries tourists and residents of big cities around the world. The most faithful company of the human being deserves to have its place in society and demands respect for its rights. For these reasons, a series of initiatives carried out by civil society and different public policies implemented transformed dozens of cities in America, Europe and Asia into “pet friendly” cities , also known as “dog friendly”. The list contains ten of those places that are worth visiting, with the certainty that your own dog will also feel comfortable
1. San Francisco (USA). Based on an investigation carried out by the company Smart Asset on one hundred cities in the United States, the great city of California stands out as one of the destinations in the country where restaurants, parks and shopping centers adapted to visit with pets abound. It is estimated that there are some 120,000 resident dogs in San Francisco, which explains the establishment of five dog beaches and 56 dog parks
2. Rome (Italy). A very established idea among Italians is that in the streets of the capital of their country, they tend to see more dogs than children. Among other facilities for dogs, Rome has accessories introduced into fountains so that dogs can drink fresh and potable water.
3. Berlin (Germany). Although it is considered that there are twice as many, more than 100,000 dogs are registered with official organizations in the German capital. In some tourist sites, guided tours accompanied by dogs are allowed. Its access to hotels, restaurants, buses and trains is also allowed and in some restaurants special menus for dogs are offered. Two unmissable places to walk with dogs in the city are Mauerpark (Wall Park) and the Grundewald forest
4. Amsterdam (Netherlands). Pets can enter restaurants and cafes, as well as being taken free on public transport, except on trains, unless the owners have the special canine Day Pass. In Flevopark, dog toilets were installed.
5. Tel Aviv (Israel). Every July 21, the capital of Israel celebrates International Dog Day, with a festival attended by more than 70,000 people to remember canine rights. The celebration is in line with the great development reached by public spaces enabled for people to enjoy with their puppies. The number of dog-friendly parks borders the 70s. In Tel Aviv, the Dog TV channel and the Digo Dog app were also created.
6. New York (USA). Bars, galleries and hotels are among the hundreds of places that tolerate the presence of customers with their pets. The large parks of the Big Apple are suitable places to walk for hours with your own dog.
7. Lisbon (Portugal). Based on a national law, in Portugal dogs are considered “sentient beings”, to whom owners must ensure food, water and medical attention. For their part, property owners are obliged to allow access to tenants with their dogs. In addition, the norm establishes the reduction of VAT on veterinary invoices.
8. Monterey (México). En la capital del estado de Nueva León, donde surgió el movimiento “México pet friendly”, abundan los espacios en contacto con la naturaleza adecuados para asistir con perros. Se destacan el Paseo Santa Lucía y los parques Rufino Tamayo, Ecológico La Huasteca y Las Arboledas, donde los domingos se organizan entrenamientos de Socialización Canina. El Mercado Pletórico es el sitio por excelencia para encontrar gastronomía, artículos creados por diseñadores, juegos y áreas de descanso para mascotas. Otra buena opción son los restaurantes “pet friendly” Pan & Salchicha Co., Casa Cali, Silvano’s Pizza Bar y Happy Dog. De los 400 establecimientos adaptados para perros se cuentan 80 en el Área Metropolitana de Monterrey.
9. Ponferrada (Spain). This municipality in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León is considered “the city with the most dog-friendly options per inhabitant in Spain”, according to a ranking carried out by the holiday rental search engine Holidu together with the guide for owners of urban dogs SrPerro. com in 56 cities of the country. 35 percent of the accommodations in Ponferrada -located in first place, above Logroño, Gijón, León, La Coruña, Vigo, Lugo, Barcelona, Oviedo, Vigo and Santiago de Compostela- are considered “pet friendly” and there is a bar or store of these characteristics for every 988 inhabitants. El Bierzo Dog Friendly coordinates visits with pets to museums, wineries, museums, green spaces and an old coal mine.
10. Gijon (Spain). It has more than 40 green areas that dogs can roam freely. Since the implementation of the “GijónYesMiCan” campaign in 2016 by the City Council, the offer of places for dogs has grown considerably in the Asturian city, to such an extent that more than 21 percent of the places to stay allow pets, there is a ideal dog beach for summer (El Rinconín), another sandy beach recommended for the winter season (San Lorenzo) and there is a “pet friendly” bar or store for every 1,918 inhabitants.
