Dogs: Spain's favorite domestic animal Among the wide variety of animals kept as pets, cats and dogs are the most common.
Animals allowed as pets in Spain
The most common pets transported to Spain are dogs, cats, and ferrets (in this article, we'll use the term pets interchangeably for these animals).
Dog was by far the most popular pet in Mexico in 2019, according to a survey. That year, nearly eight out of ten pet owners surveyed said that they own one. Cats were the second most common pets in the Latin American country, with approximately 30 percent of respondents who had a pet.
The situation of pet cats in Spain
Spanish homes had around 5.8 million pet cats in 2021, which is about half the number of that of dogs the same year.
1. Dogs. Dogs come in at number one, with48.3 million households owning dogs in the United States, making these four-legged friends one of the most popular pets around. For people who live active lives and love giving out belly rubs, dog ownership can be a rewarding experience.
Animal Medicines Australia
Dogs continue to be Australia's most popular pets, with just over 5 million dogs across the nation.
Though Spain does not have the reputation of being as pet-friendly as other European countries, Spaniards love and pamper their pets. Pets are not allowed in many public places in Spain, like in other European countries, but things are slowly changing, and pets are now more welcome in many parts of the country.
Since then, the royal grounds have become the Hermitage Museum, and though Russia no longer has queens, cats still reign supreme, both at the museum and in the people's hearts. A recent study of cat ownership in 52 countries found that Russians love cats more than anyone on the planet.
The number of domestic pets in Spain is on the rise and a growing social phenomenon that has increased so much in recent years that there are now more domestic animals in Spanish households than there are children.
La mascota perfecta [Perfect Pet, The] (Spanish Edition) (Arbordale Collection)
Cats and dogs are European households' favorite animals to keep, although more unconventional choices such as reptiles and small mammals are chosen as pets in high numbers too. In 2021, the population of pet cats in Europe was over 113 million.
The Spanish word for pet is la mascota, pronounced: lah mahs-koh-tah.
Lots of people want to know more about your pet and many strangers are happy to finger behind the ears of any good-natured dog. The Spanish have an unmatched love for pets and it shows in the way they take care of their pets. So your buddy will certainly enjoy the attention he will get in this country.
Of the ungulates, the wild boar, the fallow deer, the red deer, the roe deer, the Iberian ibex and the Pyrenean chamois are found in the country. Terrestrial carnivores include the brown bear, the Iberian wolf and the Italian wolf, the red fox, the Iberian lynx, the Eurasian lynx and the common genet.
Out past the Arabian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is an island country called Cyprus, which is home to around 1.5 million cats.
Cat-lover territory includes the huge territories of Canada (52.3% of cat or dog photos are cats), China (88.2% cats), and Russia (64% cats). The dogs take more continents, though. Dog posts outweigh cat posts across North and South America, Oceania, and Africa, while the cats take just Europe and Asia.
FAQs – International Pet Transport to Europe
Your pet will need to be microchipped, hold a pet passport or third-country official veterinary certificate, have a valid vaccination against rabies and other requirements, depending on where your pet will be travelling from.
Pet laws in Spain
Additionally, new national animal welfare laws came into effect in 2022. Pets are now considered sentient beings and cannot be seized, abandoned, mistreated, or removed from the owner without good reason. New laws also cover shared ownership if couples divorce or separate.
Under Spanish law, every dog, cat or ferret needs to be microchipped and registered in the Animal Identification Registry or Registro de Animales de Compañía.
It's our feline friends that are the cutest pets of them all, according to science. With cats coming out as the animals with the most adorable faces, followed by ferrets, rabbits and hamsters.
1. Dogs. Dogs are not called “Man's Best Friend” by accident. Not only are they fiercely loyal, but dogs are also extremely affectionate.