# Dogs and Spanish beaches



## haylingchrist (May 15, 2005)

Back in March Jill was stopped by a Guardia (who spoke no english) while walking our dog on the beach a few miles North of Tarifa.

Last week we recieved 2 recorded letters each containing a fine. One apparently for walking a dog off the lead, the other for 'lacking canine sanitary record'.

Not so bad, except each fine is €450. No that's not a typo - nine hundred euros total!

It's not exactly what you'd call an 'urban' beach though it's probably a 'natural park'. There's no 'no dogs' signs, though there are some telling you vehicles, taking plants, tents, litter, etc are banned.

Just to put a truly Daliesq twist on the whole thing it's common to see cows there and several of the kite school instructors routinely have dogs running loose on th beach.

Any comments or advice welcome...


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

How did they get your address? are you resident in Spain?


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## haylingchrist (May 15, 2005)

No we're not residents - we were in Tarifa for a few weeks.

The Guardia asked for ID and Jill wrote down her name and address as she had none on her - It's pretty common round there - there's a lot of problems with smuggling, illegal immigrants and a popular way to hassle the wild campers.

Jill thought she was just being asked to put the dog on a lead...


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## greenasthegrass (Oct 27, 2007)

Shall get you the correct legal standing 2moz when am at work if you can manage to wait - am sure its not enforceable but not 100% as said will clarify 2moz.

Regards

Greenie


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Tarifa beach is not a good place for dogs because of sandflies and the Leishmaniasis your dog can catch from their bites. Can be fatal and almost incurable.


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## linal (Mar 14, 2006)

Hi I don't think you should worry too much about it IF? their follow up proceedure is like the one for collecting parking fines for the following reason.
The lady in the next villa to us in Spain went to pay a parking fine. She was sent from one dept. to another & eventually ended up in the first office again, when she enquired why it was so difficult to pay a fine the manager of the office told her no one pays as there has to be a reminder sent within a certain time or the fine becomes null and void and the departments are too busy to send out reminders.
Needless to say the lady who is Spanish didn't pay and hasn't bothered since.
This may or may not be the same in your case but may be worth waiting to see if you get a reminder.

Best of luck. Alex.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

sallytrafic said:


> Tarifa beach is not a good place for dogs because of sandflies and the Leishmaniasis your dog can catch from their bites. Can be fatal and almost incurable.


The Leishmaniosis carrying sand fly is only a name.The sandfly lives everywhere in southern Spain.I do not believe it lives in sand but i may be wrong.Keep pets in doors during dawn and dusk if the temp is 20 degs c or over.And make sure it has a Scalibour collar.

Write a letter to the consul in Alicante re the fine.I personally would not pay it .But all unpaid fines (Multas) have interest added daily until paid.


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## 107990 (Oct 30, 2007)

They will not chase you in any way but if you fly into Spain and they run your passport through one of the electronic readers at immigration it will show up. Although Spain being Spain they probably still wouldn't bother you over it.

Lacking a canine sanitary record, i would of thought that was to show it had had it's jabs. Surely your pet passport would of covered that.


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## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

They _may not_ bother you in the UK. But the WILL if you are back in Spain and ever have to give your details. Any time you are asked for details. For example Guadia in Malaga region have PDA's that link in seconds to center DB. Also anywhere you have to show passport.

And if anyone tells you this will not happen....... two weeks ago, returning from Morocco, I "declared" my dog. This involved a comp check which ended up with me having to pay two outstanding fines [parking] from months ago, Plus 30% more, on the spot!!

..


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## haylingchrist (May 15, 2005)

Thanks everyone,

Just about as I'd guessed. I'll update this when we get a response from our local friends.

I doubt there's much point appealing. Several Tarifa locals I know have suffered similar ludicrous (not pet-related) fines.

On the sand-fly front, that's probably why our dog's got a Scalibor collar... To my mind it would be daft to avoid somewhere we like (and the dog likes more) because of a slight disease risk. 

Chris


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