Pets in shared spaces

It is for anyone thinking about, planning or already making the move to Spain with a pet. After reading, you will know what neighbours and the public expect from pet owners and how to avoid complaints or fines.

Registration, microchip and licence rules, rules for potentially dangerous dogs, and bringing a pet into Spain are covered elsewhere.

Start with "Walking a dog in Spain: waste, leash and off-leash areas (pipicán)". Walking is where most complaints and fines begin, so it is the best place to learn the basics. After that, read the pages on barking and pet noise, lifts and shared areas, cafés and transport, stray cats, and balconies, in whatever order matches your situation.

Key rules

• Leash: Dogs must be on a leash in public spaces, usually no longer than about two metres, except in fenced off-leash areas (pipicán) and parks during set hours.
• Dog waste: You must pick up dog faeces immediately and put them in a bag in a bin, and in many cities you must also rinse urine with water, often mixed with vinegar.
• Quiet hours: Many cities ban pet noise during rest hours, usually from about 10pm or 11pm to 7am or 8am, and persistent barking can be sanctioned at any hour.
• Fines: Amounts and procedure differ by city, and they rise with severity and repetition.
• Mess: You must clean up your pet's mess at once in any shared area and pay for any damage or cleaning it causes.

Pets in shared spaces: the whole process, step by step

• Learn your city's rules for walking your dog: waste, leash and off-leash areas. Read "Walking a dog in Spain: waste, leash and off-leash areas (pipicán)": Before your first walk

• Find the fenced off-leash areas (pipicán) and any parks with set off-leash hours near you. Madrid and Barcelona publish hours, often around 9pm to 9am in parts of some parks: Before you let your dog off the leash

• Plan your dog's routine around rest hours and prevent barking. Read "Dog barking and pet noise in a flat: what neighbours tolerate": Before the first night in the flat; rest hours are usually from about 10pm or 11pm to 7am or 8am

• Check the building rules for lifts, portals and shared gardens. Read "Pets in lifts, portals and shared gardens": Before you first use the shared areas with your pet

• Check pet rules on balconies and terraces. Read "Cats, birds and dogs on balconies and terraces": Before you let pets out onto the balcony

• Check where your dog is welcome in cafés, shops and public transport. Read "Taking your dog to cafés, shops and public transport": Before each outing beyond your neighbourhood

• Learn the local attitude to feeding strays. Read "Feeding stray cats and cat colonies (colonias felinas)": Before you feed any stray cat