Better to keep your distance from dogs on vacation! This is what the animal welfare organization Four Paws writes in a recent statement. A very sensible suggestion that one would very much like to follow.
The problem with this is that the dogs do not keep to the distance requirement. And not the stray dogs in the south, which the animal rights activists mean because they can pose a danger as walking hosts of ticks, fleas and sometimes rabies. It’s more about the skyrocketing number of dogs that go on vacation with their two-legged friends – like on camping vacations.
For example, anyone who was traveling towards Sardinia on a large car ferry during the Pentecost holidays and wanted to enjoy the evening departure of the ship towards the sunset on deck found themselves surrounded by almost more dogs than people. The trend, as one could observe, is on the one hand, similar to mobile homes, towards larger, i.e. SUV dogs: Labrador, Great Dane, Giant Schnauzer. On the other hand, he also seems to go in the direction of second, third and even fourth dogs.
And of course they all have to be on deck. Not a railing post, not a corner, not a parked backpack (just don’t!) that would be safe from them. The ferry company allows this. The wind cannot always mask the stench. In addition, there are always loud fights between animals that obviously cannot smell each other. So it’s rather difficult to drink your beer in peace and watch the play of colors of sky and sea.
Yes, of course: You can’t blame the critters. It’s not their fault that Homo sapiens has bred away any fear of them.
Arrived at the campsite, it goes on like this. The car tire of the camper van, the tree on which you hang your hammock are often misused as a marking point, the dog owners also seem to be on vacation from dog care. At night, the dog of the camper neighbors barks so persistently that during the short sleep phases one dreams of a hunting rifle with a telescopic sight.
Well, the owners apologized the next day. And, admittedly: Sometimes the four-legged friends can also provide amusement. On the return ferry ride, a young Labrador was so excited that he mistook his owner’s tanned leg for the railing and marked it extensively.