Pets Guide
The Spanish love their dogs. And their cats. And their birds. Pets are almost as well-loved in Barcelona as children and it’s commonplace to see almost every local with a four-legged friend at the end of a leash. Small and large dogs alike live happily in apartments with their Catalan families. It just proves how accepting the Spanish are of dog owners, and if you are bringing your pet with you, you’ll be happy to know that he/she will not be an impediment to renting an apartment, as in many other cities.
In the outer suburbs, dog owners are less attentive when it comes to picking up after their dogs but this is much less the case in Barcelona itself. There are newly instated fines for failing to pick up after your furry friend, however, it is still wise to glance at the sidewalk occasionally to avoid the leavings of the less considerate pet owners.
The only thing that might raise your eyebrow is the first few times you see a macho Latin youth swaggering down the street walking his toy Chihuahua. This is perfectly normal, despite a certain perception that these little guys are better built to be carried around in pink handbags.
Purebreed dogs tend to be expensive (between €400 – €700 euros) but in the same way that new parents in Spain sometimes think nothing of spending the better part of their child´s inheritance to buy the latest in chic baby gear, it is just as acceptable to this bunch (not the norm) to spend more on the upkeep of their dog, than home repairs.
All in all, animals are part of the lifestyle here, so if you are an animal lover or a pet-owner, you will feel right at home!
