With the new regulations, the time is approaching when taking your dog unleashed outside the spaces provided in Barcelona, can bring you fines of between 100 and 2400 euros.
The regulation legalizing this ban has already entered into force and will begin to be applied with an informative phase before being enforced.
Taking your unleashed furry friend outside the areas designated for canine recreation will become an illegal matter and will result in fines.
The City Council had not enforced the rule, as it considered that there were not enough spaces in the city to take the dogs out.
But now, thanks to the inclusion of 103 new spaces in addition to the existing 116, the local government considers that there is now enough space to let the dog run free.
These areas are very well distributed to be able to take it out less than 10 minutes from home.
Fines between 100 and 2400 euros as part of the regulation
The implementation of the new regulations in the framework of the policy for dog walking in the city will start with an information campaign.
This is intended to inform pet owners of the planned changes.
In total, 1% of the space in the Catalan capital was made suitable for dogs to walk off-leash.
In total, the new and existing spaces currently total 945,000 square meters for an estimated population of 180,000 dogs in the city.
The 103 new spaces are part of the Shared Use Zones in time slots, ZUC.
In these areas, dogs may run unleashed at certain times, particularly in the morning or afternoon.
In some cases, the ZUCs are the same areas of parks, boulevards or streets where neighbors have long gathered spontaneously to walk their dogs.
About fines
Under this scenario, for example, running loose dogs outside the stipulated hours in playgrounds can lead to fines of up to 600 euros.
Likewise, to carry it unleashed outside the approved spaces for canine recreation in an act that is considered dangerous, can cause a fine of 300 euros and 100 euros if it is not considered dangerous.
The regulations are very clear in specifying that if the dog is considered dangerous, it must be leashed at all times. Otherwise, the owner will be liable to a fine of between 300 and 2400 euros.
The measure will begin with its informative phase, although the City Council plans to make it effective in 2023.
When this happens, dogs shall not be allowed to be walked on the street without being leashed for any reason whatsoever.
So far in 2022, the municipality has imposed about 500 penalties for non-compliance with the rules for walking animals.
