Are the big cities dragging their feet to improve the reception of dogs? In any case, this is the feeling shared by most of our readers. If in the countryside, our doggies see life in pink, the testimonies of pet owners in town are less brilliant. Between the lack of green spaces, the difficult access to transport and the central problem of dog excrement, it is difficult to satisfy our companions.
The problem notably pushed the magazine 30 Million Friends to establish, since 2016, a ranking of cities “where it is good to live with your animal”. “We started from an observation: the canine population in Paris was down by almost 20%. The dog was increasingly perceived as an “animal non grata”,” explains Katia Renard, editor-in-chief.
A story of living together
The central problem raised by our readers concerns droppings. “There are more and more bags available to pick up, and that’s very practical,” says Mary, owner of two dogs. Thierry, who has three wolfdogs in Colomiers, qualifies: “The problem is above all the scarcity of garbage cans. Marion, she indicates that “the distributors are regularly robbed by people without dogs”.
Which makes cleaning the “crime scene” more complicated, especially since even with these tools, some people forget… “It’s living together, everyone has to make an effort, testifies Katia Renard. Anyone who doesn’t pick up droppings doesn’t think of people in wheelchairs, on bicycles… It’s very uncivil. »
The leash, it tires
Beyond this fragrant subject, the city poses certain specific challenges to owners. Access to green spaces is particularly complicated. “Avignon is an atrocious city for dogs, denounces Bernadette. They have a small strip reserved for them, away from the city center. All other parks and gardens are forbidden to them! ” ” In Toulon, you should not be difficult, abounds François. Dogs are prohibited in the parks and on the beaches. »
And, when these places are authorized for animals, it is still necessary to be able to go there. In Saint-Brieuc, where Christophe lives, public transport is prohibited for dogs: “If you are not transported, then it is your problem! “, he curses. Marion agrees: “The buses, trams and metro refuse animals that are not in baskets. Even muzzled, it does not pass. In busy times, I can understand, but at other times…”
So how can we make life easier for our companions? Difficult to answer. Not only a question of will, but rather, in most cases, big money: “Cities have become aware of the problem of the dog, affirms Katia Renard. The main obstacle is the budget, because the subject is not a priority. “It will surely be necessary to brush the elected officials in the direction of the hair…
