Rules for Dogs

[sonjati]

I am trying to find out the regulations that apply to taking your dog in a national park, natural park and or uninhabited land which is used by hunters.  I think I am supposed to keep my dog on a leash in the national park.  But my dog is well controlled and never chases animals or birds.  So can my dog be off the leash but under my control in a natural park or reserve?   Also, can you direct me to a website with the relevant rules please, so I can study them?  Thank you for your guidance.

By the way, once when I was walking not far from  a natural park my dog stopped and stood still and refused to walk on with me. I looked around carefully and found an injured ibex that had fallen down a bank.  My dog  didn’t bark or or try to get down the bank to the ibex, she just indicated that there was an animal.   I would not have seen the poor ibex if my dog had not stopped and stood still.  The ibex had been there for more than a day and could not walk properly. Fortunately the wildlife rescue came and took it for veterinary treatment.

 

[cliveAdmin Grazalema]

Hi Sonjati and welcome to the Iberia Nature Forum. 🙂

In general, access is permitted to rural areas/footpaths/beauty spots/ etc with a dog on a leash. In general, a dog off the leash is not permitted (unless its being used for auhorised hunting purposes).

In protected areas such as national parks the governing body of the park and its director can create and implement rules and regulations for that particular park that overide any of the general rules. In the Sierra de Grazalema for example dogs are allowed on a leash in some places and not allowed at all other areas.

One reason that they banned dogs here in Grazalema in some places was not because the dog in question was behaving badly but because a cow with its young attacked the dog whilst it was on the leash injuring both the dog and the owner.

There is a pretty good article here: https://www.lavanguardia.com/natural/ecogallego/20200701/482042799030/prohibicion-perros-sueltos-espacios-naturales-parque-ordesa-monte-perdido-multas.html

And here 5 examples of natural parks where you can take your dog: https://www.pipperontour.com/blog2/cinco-parques-naturales-con-perro

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Take a trip on the Wildside!

https://wildsideholidays.co.uk (Wildlife and nature holidays in Spain)

https://grazalemaguide.com/ (All my web projects in one portal and everything you need to know about Grazalema)

• This reply was modified 3 weeks ago by clive.

[Helen Seville]

Hi Sonjati,

Here is an article about dogs in public places: https://www.snau.es/blog/donde-puedo-ir-perro-segun-ley/

I suspect that like many laws it is the minority that spoil it for everybody else…Not all dogs are as well behaved and trained as your is.

I also recall an incident in Guadalajara where an owner was attacked by a cow with its young almost killing the dog in the process. And a little dog that was taken by an eagle in Monfragúe National Park

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Breathe and try to be nice to people 🙂

[Dave]

Interesting, up here in the Sierra de Culebra if you let your dog off the lead the wolves would probably chase it down and kill it!

Some years ago they were even fining farmers with mastins loose in order to protect their livestock from the wolves. Citing that the domestic dog was interfering with the natural order…. I don’t think that law lasted too long though and don’t recall anyone actually paying the fine.

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Living the dream!

[cliveAdmin Grazalema]

You don’t say where you are Sonjati but I think the only way to get a definitive answer is to visit the main office of the natural park near you and ask for a copy of that particular parks byelaws.

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Take a trip on the Wildside!

https://wildsideholidays.co.uk (Wildlife and nature holidays in Spain)

https://grazalemaguide.com/ (All my web projects in one portal and everything you need to know about Grazalema)

[Petrea Caleta de Velez]

Some years ago, I tried to find out for my local patch. To my big surprise, I found no rules for dogs in nature parks of Andalucia. However, it seems that the general rules in Andalucia says, that loose dogs are not allowed in any public places! Exceptions: special areas such as some dog beaches. Perhaps it is as simple as that?

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