Hey -

I've been lurking around this board for a while - great job. There's a lot of good information here that just isn't found anywhere else.

Anyway, how many of you who live in either Madrid or Barcelona have dogs? Where do you walk them? It's kinda convenient to live right next to a park - though I haven't seen places in Barce or Madrid where one could walk a dog. I know this sounds like a lame question, and in light of everything else I have to consider in planning my move to Spain, this one seems to stand out most.

Thanks for your help --

Jimmy

[ 10-18-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]

Hi Jimmy! Welcome to the Spain Family! Aaahh.. Dogs In Spain. Don't you just love/hate them?? hehehee... Most Spaniards I know don't complain about them, but many "Americans" living there DO.

It's not the dogs themselves, of course, but rather their "byproducts". hehehe.. I remember walking along a stretch of street along the Rio Manzanares in Madrid where it seemed EVERYONE walked their dogs. It was literally impossible to walk in a straight line for all the "dog bombs" littering the sidewalk. I know there are laws for this kind of thing, but seems few people observe these laws. Anyone else have ideas/suggestions??

We saw quite a few pooches (and almost all EXTREMELY cute, I might add) and folks actually "picking up" after them. It was a big change from the Spain I remembered.

By the way, your question is not at all lame. And your disclaimer at the end really made me chuckle!!

[ 10-18-2001: Message edited by: Carole Chiaro ]

From what I saw in my too short visit this summmer, you and your pooch will be welcome everywhere specially since we Americans are very attentive to picking up those byproducts.I even saw a pup lift his leg at the base of a jungle jim in a park with children climbing all over it and nobody seemed to notice. But there didn't seem to be as big a problem as some visitors had reported in years past.

I brought my dog from the States when I moved here, there were no problems, however...

Don't go through the UK with a pet, even just changing flights.

You need to have all your vaccinations current (rabies, distemper, etc.), signed by a veterinarian. There's a form you need from the consulate, which you send to the US Agriculture Dept, this has a 7 day validation, so time it carefully. Then away he goes in the bottom of the plane, and you give the form at the airport.


If you are just visiting, the hassle is not worth it, leave the dog with friends back home.