en 
According to Deco Alerta– Portuguese Association for
Consumer Protection and reported by idealista/news there are specific rules in
place in Portugal that pet owners need to be aware of.
The first rule is very clear: pets can only stay in an
apartment or house, in urban areas, if there are good housing conditions,
without risk to the health of neighbours or hygiene problems.
In an apartment, up to three dogs or four cats can cohabit, without
the total number of all pets ever exceeding four.
This number can only be exceeded, up to six, with the
authorisation of the municipality, after the favourable opinions of the
municipal veterinarian and the health delegate.
The presence of animals inside the apartment can only be
included in the condominium regulations if it is unanimously approved.
Condominium regulations can, however, be stricter and establish a lower limit
and even prohibit the presence of animals in the autonomous fractions.
Although the joint owners cannot prohibit the existence of
animals in the apartments of the neighbours, unless there is an agreement
between them or if this prohibition is established in the constitutive title of
horizontal property, the same does not apply to common areas. Therefore, they
can decide by simple majority to prohibit the permanence of animals in these
areas, safeguarding the proper passage to and from housing.
For example, a dog of a breed classified as potentially
dangerous cannot circulate alone in the common areas of the building, it must
always be accompanied by the owner and use a leash and functional muzzle.
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Rules for pets in Portugal ? Will be nice to know how many Portugues are aware of this rules ? And how many of the pets are regularly vaccinated ? And how many dogs are kept in good condition ? Obrigado
By Roberto from Lisbon on 15 Oct 2022, 17:53
I have seen many comments this year and last about pet owners leaving their dogs on the veranda barking all day while they are away.
Is there a law to prevent this as it seems cruel to dogs and inconsiderate to neighbors?
By Wes from USA on 16 Oct 2022, 00:59
A farm nearby, has short chained a large dog (60kg) for all its life.
Are there laws against this?
By Joe from Alentejo on 16 Oct 2022, 04:09
You can tell how civil a population is by how they treat their pets. It is unacceptable how badly people treat dogs in Portugal - barbaric and primitive.
By S from Other on 16 Oct 2022, 05:39
Is there no rule about leaving dogs on the balcony when owners are not home? It certainly is not fair to the neighbors to try and endure barking continuously, sometimes for hours! There shouldn't even have to be a rule really, it is just common courtesy not to do so. Which many seem to lack.
Dogs should be inside and crated, which is comforting to them and not cruel.
By A. from Porto on 16 Oct 2022, 07:12
I have seen so much cruelty towards animals in Portugal that it makes me sick. Dogs are chained there whole life’s on short chains even during blistering summer heat and heavy rain conditions in winter. Puppy dogs are thrown in garbage bins baby cats as well or are places in plastic bags left to die! Don’t tell me there are protective animal laws in Portugal. It’s shameful!
By Jutta from Alentejo on 16 Oct 2022, 10:17
Do these rules mean that I could actually have a right to keep a dig or cat even if the landlord disapproves? Your article seems to imply that.
By Baron W from Açores on 16 Oct 2022, 13:17
I don’t think the Portuguese are deliberately cruel to their animals. Ill educated and thoughtless sometimes, but not deliberately cruel.
By Ian from Lisbon on 16 Oct 2022, 17:41
I am a pet owner, i share the concerns and disgust at animal cruelty and dislike immensely that dogs are chained and left on Verandas. However, i don't like the apparent Portugal and Portuguese are worse than anywhere else tone i get from the comments. Spend a day with the RSPC in the UK or Animal Hope in Germany or any of the other organisations throughout Europe and see the cruelty and negligence in countries that have organisations with massive budgets to combat, educate and prosecute offenders and general public. I commend the Portuguese for the massive strides they have made in the last 20 years, largely through education and voluntary organisations with No state funding. Lets do our part to help the efforts by setting good examples and spend less energy pointing and wagging fingers. Most immigrants/expats i wager come from countries with equally if not worse track records.
By Carl from Lisbon on 17 Oct 2022, 10:21
@Carl from Lisbon on 17 Oct 2022, 11:21 - well said. So many ignorant comments on here.
By MartynCymro from Beiras on 17 Oct 2022, 13:09
what are the regulations regarding dogs left alone when the owner is away from the property for work or social outings.The dog is small with a high pitch yap, obviously untrained and upset by being left alone.property is a small modern apartment block of 3 floors.
By allan from Algarve on 17 Oct 2022, 18:42
I have a trained rottweiller and she has a walled garden to play in. On our morning walks in my farming area there are three dogs we pass each morning tied to a post , barking like crazy when we pass and my dog ignores them completely. Most dogs we meetaround the village are untrained and urinate everywhere including my front door!
By Alex Cameron from Alentejo on 18 Oct 2022, 08:19
One can see it's a big topic and we all see there is much to improve here. I am fairly new here in Portugal so I can not comment how much it has improved but if so well done. Another area which must be addressed is training owners to pick up their dogs poo. I clean almost daily my and my kids shoes as they stepped again in it. We live close to Porto and in some parts it's like a dog cat poo minefield, poo every second meter. For people who have been in Portugal longer, has that improved over the years? Do cities address such issues? thx
By oliver from Porto on 19 Oct 2022, 08:35