Keen to attract dog-owning voters, Olhão’s mayor, António Pina, has announced the opening of a €69,000 dog exercise and play area in Pinheiros de Marim.
Some 4,000 m2 has been set aside for dogs with a fun play area of 800m2 filled with ramps, tunnels and jumps.
The council wants dog-owners to be able to exercise their pooches in safety:
"This is a space dedicated to our four-legged friends, offering many activities, located in a dedicated area," said Pina who is up for re-election on October 1st despite suffering the embarrassment of being de-selected by his local Socialist Party and having to appeal to the regional body to select him as a candidate.
Dogs must be accompanied by a human of 16 years or over, must themselves be over four months old, must be fully vaccinated, registered and have a valid dog license - available from the local parish council.
Potentially dangerous breeds of dogs that are aggressive will not be allowed in, nor will sick dogs.
António Pina said a plan for a new municipal kennel for dogs and cats, soon will be announced, as will world peace, and end to human suffering and a cure for the common cold.
From:
'Urban Dog Parks as Sources of Canine Parasites: Contamination Rates and Pet Owner Behaviours in Lisbon, Portugal' August 30, 2017
Dog parks represent a recent trend in western countries, enabling owners to spend quality time with their pets in a controlled environment. Despite their growing popularity, few studies have been performed to date on these parks to investigate dog intestinal parasitic infections and soil contamination.
The present study examined 369 faecal and 18 soil samples collected from 3 dog parks in Greater Lisbon, Portugal. Additionally, 102 interviews were performed with dog owners to assess dog-walking behaviours and parasite risk. In total, 33% of the faecal dog samples were infected with at least one parasitic agent: hookworms (16.5%), Cryptosporidium spp. (11.9%), Giardia spp. (11.4%), Toxascaris leonina (1.1%), Cystoisospora spp. (1.1%), Toxocara spp. (0.5%), and Sarcocystis sp. (0.3%).
The soil of all the parks was contaminated with hookworm eggs. This is the first study performed in a European urban area to assess canine faecal contamination and parasitic agents in dog parks. Our results highlight the potential of these parks as a source of transmission for canine parasites, including some with zoonotic potential. Public awareness and effective preventive measures should be promoted to minimise the health-risk impact to both animals and humans, under the scope of environmental and public health.
