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Date Published: 10/10/2023

Spain doles out first fine for leaving a dog outside a shop

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A woman in northwest Spain was fined 500 euros for tying her pet up outside a pharmacy

Spain doles out first fine for leaving a dog outside a shop

Not even 24 hours had passed since the Animal Welfare Law came into force on September 29 when the Local Police in Vigo in northwestern Spain sanctioned a woman for leaving her dog tied up outside a pharmacy while she was inside.

The new legislation prohibits leaving animals unattended in public places for any period of time, meaning owners can be slapped with a fine ranging from 500 to 10,000 euros for tying dogs outside shops and supermarkets. But for all its positive points, the Animal Welfare Law contains several contradictions, and one is that pharmacies in Spain don’t permit animals.

As it turns out, in this case the Galician authorities decided to waive the monetary sanction and let the owner off with a warning, choosing instead to give people more time “to become familiar with the new rule.”

Meanwhile, veterinarians and animal rights groups around the country are launching awareness campaigns so that everyone is completely familiar with the new requirements. One of the key points to stress is that the law doesn’t distinguish between leaving a dog outside a store for a couple of moments while the owner runs in to make a purchase, and one who is tied up for hours.

And while the regulations do stipulate that public spaces like bars, restaurants, shops and public transport must make provisions so that pets are allowed access, the decision of the owner of the premises on whether or not to permit pets will ultimately prevail.

Further reading: Number of pets in the home limited by new Animal Welfare Law in Spain

Image: Freepik

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