Dogs in the historic center, in Padua it is mandatory to bring a bottle of water to clean where they dirty

PADUA – From next summer in the historic center dog owners will need to bring a bottle of water to go for a walk with their four-legged friends. Security councilor Diego Bonavina made the announcement on Monday evening in the city council. Questioned on the issue by PD councilor Nereo Tiso, Bonavina anticipated the imminent inclusion of the new regulation of the Urban Police Regulations.

Fine for those who do not clean up their dog’s waste

«Already now for those who do not collect their dogs’ excrement, one is provided sanction – explained the exponent of the Giordani list yesterday -. For some time, however, we have been receiving many reports complaining about the dirt linked to dog pee which, especially in the summer period, causes bad odors. Since we are working on updating the Urban Police Regulations, he added, we have decided to introduce a rule already in force in other cities which provides, within the sixteenth-century walls, that dog owners, when they are in public areas, equip themselves with of a bottle of water. This way it will be possible clean up their pets’ urine in case of necessity. Violators will be subject to a fine which we have yet to determine.” To date, the one linked to dog excrement is worth 50 euros. «Since the problem becomes worse with the heat – he concluded – the rule will be applied roughly from April until September. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the new rule will be introduced as early as this summer.”

The number of 4-legged friends is increasing

The multiplication of pets in the city forces the Municipality to adapt its legislation on the matter. Thanks to the demographic winter that has also been hitting our city hard for about ten years and the multiplication of people who decide for the most varied reasons to share their existence with an animal, in Padua for some time the number of dogs has seen a real surge. An exponential increase that has led “man’s best friends” to reach altitude 30 thousand. A figure which, if compared to that of the Paduan population in the age group between 0 and 14 years (around 22 thousand people) can easily make us affirm that in Padua there are more dogs than children. A radical change in society that the institutions cannot help but take note of.

A dog area in each district

There are already 41 dog parks in the city. In practice, with the exception of Brusegana and Sacro Cuore (but we are working on it here too) all city districts can count on at least one area dedicated to dogs. Since the beginning of 2024, for example, dog areas have been created for a total area of ​​3,900 square metres. It is the result of the latest interventions completed respectively at the Iris Park, where in conjunction with the tram works the dog area was modified with an enlargement from the previous 3,400 square meters to a current 3,800 square metres, in via Peschiera, where the redevelopment of the green area has led to the creation of a new dog area of ​​2,000 square meters in size and to the Parco degli Alpini, where the Rilabo association, concessionaire of the park, recently inaugurated a new 1,500 meter area dedicated to dog walking paintings. The administration’s objective is to create at least one dog area in each district and then intervene on the advice of the Councils where they do not yet exist. Furthermore, the large spaces available will be exploited with the policies of expanding greenery in large parks for the creation of dedicated areas that are suitable for the well-being of dogs and their owners and correctly inserted in the most suitable urban spaces.

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