Sao Paulo

Veja magazine published an article about dogs in São Paulo. The article cites some statistics and gives recommendations to dog owners in São Paulo.

According to Veja, there are, in the city of São Paulo today, 1.9 million domestic dogs (dogs which have an owner and a house), which means that one out of each six households has a dog; to cater for them, there are about 6,000 pet shops. It is estimated that there are about 2.6 million stray dogs wandering around the town; there is a service to collect stray dogs, but like most other public services, it is not very effective (this service is called ‘carrocinha’, small cart, and is the terror of children who own unlicensed dogs).

The article gave some recommendations to dog owners, and provided some useful information to visitors who bring their animals to Sao Paulo.

Some rich people treat their dogs like children; and some fine restaurants are happy to have them as customers.

The lady in the photo purchased 400 collars to her dog, from brands like Louis Vouitton, Gucci and Hermes; and she always brings her dog when visiting some of the finest restaurants in town, such as D.O.M. Figueira Rubayat and Vecchio Verino.

There are several laws regarding dogs and domestic animals, but most laws are neither respected nor enforced (the first one is the law which obliges every dog to be registered with the Zoonosis Control Center and have a vaccination card).

For example, the law says that dog owners must collect feces left by the animals; but seeing a lady picking up stool with a shovel is something very rare. Also, the law does not allow dogs at the sand beach, but it is difficult to convince a madame that she can’t bring her baby to a stroll (the sand of Copacabana beach, in Rio, is contaminated by sewage and dog urine).

When outdoors, dogs must be in a collar; some wilder races, such as pitbull and rotweiller, must also wear a mouth locker and a neck locker (every now and then, there are news of a pitbull killing somebody in Brazil).

Some shopping centers (such as Iguatemi, the poshest one) allow dogs in the shops area, but, by force of law, no bar or restaurant can admit dogs or animals.

In the case of condos and apartments, it is up to the residents to determine whether dogs or animals are admitted at all, or any restrictions which might apply. One thing is for sure: dogs are a common cause of disagreements among neighbors in São Paulo.

These are some tips for those who are thinking about bringing a dog to São Paulo.