Dogs go everywhere in France, shops, restaurants, beaches..nowhere is forbidden
The most popular pet is a fish, but all the same, 19 million dogs and cats. One out of three French people has a dog compared to 18% of Germans and 22% of Brits.
In these difficult times there are some that abandon their dog but most prefer to deprive themselves rather than give their dog cheap dog food!
Another growing problem in France, and I am sure it exists in the UK as well is that dogs are being given human food and this results in more money being spent on the canine friend in medication for their teeth and more seriously, digestive problems.
In France, the pet market represents 3.5 billion euros pa and this figure is increasing.
Not only are dogs costly to their owners, they also cost a lot to the public purse, in La Rochelle alone where there is a population of 80,000, it costs 170,000 euros pa to fight against dog mess. This cost is increasing because prevention initiatives are put into place but dog owners are reluctant to clean up after their dogs. There are penalties in place for dog owners who allow their dogs to foul in public places but this is difficult and costly to enforce.
There seems to be a cultural difference, in the UK, dog owners are more responsible when it comes to cleaning up after their dogs whereas I have never seen a french person clean up after their dog. Similarly there is a cultural difference with regards to men relieving themselves by the roadside. In France, this is completely normal but very much frowned upon, if not illegal in the UK. I am sure there is a link here but I haven’t quite figured out what it is!
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