Fuengirola to fine dog owners up to €750 for not diluting pet urine

Fuengirola town hall will make it compulsory to use bottles filled with a diluting liquid to eliminate dog urine in public spaces.

The amendment to the citizen coexistence ordinance was announced on Monday by the town’s mayor, Ana Mula, who said that this measure aims to improve the hygiene and appearance of all neighborhoods and public areas in the town.

The procedure to make the use of a water-and-vinegar solution obligatory for rinsing pet urination has now begun, and the same proposal establishes that failure to carry out this action will be considered a minor offense, which could result in fines of up to 750 euros.

The town’s mayor, Ana Mula, who said “enforcing fines is not our preferred measure,” pointed out that the local authority has been promoting this practice for many years and has also distributed bottles to residents. Mula added that these campaigns will be intensified until the procedure is completed and approved later this year.

“Fuengirola is known for the cleanliness and orderliness of its public spaces. This is largely due to the extraordinary work of our municipal staff, and also to the cooperation and involvement of our residents. One of the issues that concerns us most is dog urine.

"For several years now, we have been encouraging the use of bottles filled with water and wine vinegar to dilute the urine. Now, we are taking a further step and making it mandatory,” explained the mayor.