While a lot of emphasis is put on cleaning up dog poo, particularly because it’s a problem in many Spanish cities, cleaning dog pee often isn’t spoken about.

According to the latest figures there are 9.4 million dogs in Spain and it’s the fourth country with the highest dog population in Europe, behind Russia, the UK and Germany, according to the European Pet Food Industry Federation.

Add this to the fact that Spanish cities don’t tend to have a lot of green spaces, and you’ll soon understand why streets often smell like dog pee, particularly in summer, and why there are stains all over the pavements.

Yes, Spanish streets are often like one big dog toilet.

READ ALSO: Does Spain have a dog poo problem?

It may be easy to only worry about cleaning up excrement instead of pee, but it’s a big issue and one that Spain’s Animal Welfare Law, which came into force in October last year, does not ignore.

The law states that dog owners must “prevent the animals from depositing their excrement and urine in places where other people usually pass, such as facades, doors or entrances to establishments”.

It also says that in all cases it must be “removed or cleaned with biodegradable products”.

READ ALSO: Questions and doubts about Spain’s new animal welfare law

Obviously, you can’t pick up pee like you can with poo, but city councils across the country regulate this issue and dozens of them have begun to demand that pee be cleaned with water and vinegar.

This not only acts like a disinfectant but also helps to deodorise the pee, discouraging other pooches from peeing on the same spot, so the streets end up not smelling so much.

At the end of the day, dog owners should stick to their civic duties and take a bottle of water and vinegar with them when they take their dogs out, as if they don’t clean up their dog pee it’s just another form of littering public spaces.

If they forget their bottle, they should at least try to encourage their pooch to urinate in the earth of a tree in the street for faster absorption. 

READ ALSO: What are the fines for not picking up dog poo in Spain?

So what if you ignore the laws and don’t clean up your dog’s pee, what are the consequences?

Article 76 of the Animal Welfare Law states that fines range from €500 and €10,000 for breaking any of the rules.

This could go up even further to €50,000 for those who break the law multiple times.

The truth is, however, you’re unlikely to be fined the highest amounts for not cleaning dog pee, but could easily be slapped with penalties on the lower end of the scale – €500 and upwards.

The amounts are set by each city council or town hall, so they differ depending on where you live.

Here’s a list of some of the towns and cities, popular with foreign residents, where it’s mandatory to carry a bottle of water and some disinfectant for dog urine.

Alicante
Since 2021, it has been mandatory to clean dog pee here with fines of up to €750 for not doing so.

Seville
Up to €500

Valencia
Up to €750. 

Ronda
€150 in fines.

Tarragona
€300

Cádiz
Fines between €75 and €500.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Between €150 and €1,500, with a 50 percent reduction if you pay within 15 days.  

Almería
Fines between €120 and €750. 

Badalona
Fines from €600.

Benalmádena
No exact amount is mentioned, but it’s considered a ‘serious offence’.

Places where the town halls recommend you clean your dog’s pee:

Barcelona
Although there isn’t a Barcelona-wide mandate, certain town halls within the city do require it.

Castellón

Elche

Palma de Mallorca