Dogs in Santiago, Chile
Oh, to be a dog in Santiago! Never before have I seen strays looked after so well as in Chile’s capital.
Their little doggy faces smile up at you, happy and healthy. Their coats shine and there’s a plumpness to their bodies you don’t normally see in animals on the street.
Woof! A young black labrador has started following me on a walk through the park. He runs through the grass, sniffing the things dogs sniff, but always comes back to my side. He’s adopted me and I enjoy the company and his friendliness.
He doesn’t seem distracted by other people and shows me a faithfulness I don’t deserve.
When I sit down on a bench at one point he sits beside me, waiting for a pat (and, to be fair, probably some food).
He won’t get any from me this time but there’s no fear of going hungry. One of the reasons the dogs in Santiago are so healthy is because the locals have taken it on themselves to feed them.
The animals are part of the community, part of the city’s population, and are treated with respect.
Take, for instance, the market at the bus station. It has all the usual stalls… and then one just for dog food so people can pick up some tasty canine treats on their way home.
Speaking to an American guy who now lives in Santiago, he tells me about how he tried to feed the local dogs one evening.
“I had some leftover meat from lunch so I went down the street to give it to them”, he explains.
“But then a woman came out and started shouting at me. Apparently she likes to feed these ones and they always get the best dog food. She thought my meat wasn’t good enough for them!”
The dogs happily stroll the streets like they own them, they sit underneath your table at al fresco restaurants, and they play with each other in the park.
Someone (either residents or the government) has even built kennels in the main park so the animals have somewhere to sleep. The dog bowls in front of the kennels seemed to always be well-stocked.
It’s nice to see a community take such good care of their animals.
Too often you see dogs and cats neglected or abused on the streets.
I suppose it’s easy to just regard them as pests that a city would be better off without. But that says more about the people than the animals, doesn’t it?
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With lots of character, Hotel Voila Londres is clean and comfortable and is located in the city centre.
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Heartening to see strays looked after. We’ve just adopted a gorgeous little stray from Romania, where the situation is very different and very sad.
Oh, it’s always so tempting to adopt all the strays you meet. That’s great to hear you’re going to be looking after one.
Mr. Turtle, it seems you visited the most beautiful neighborhoods in Santiago; neighborhoods where stray dogs are welcome, but in neighborhoods where poor people live in Santiago, stray dogs are malnourished, so they easily die. They live in dumps; they look for something to eat in the garbage and rubble. Those abandoned dogs suffer cold in frosty and rainy winter days. The truth is those stray dogs live in terrible conditions.
People abandon puppies and adult dogs to their own fate. It is a pity, that you have not seen the other reality yet. There are two realities of life in Santiago: the reality lived to the East of Plaza Italia, and the reality lived to the West and South of Plaza Italia in Santiago, Chile. My best regards to you
Mr. Turtle, I just translated Mr. Juan Carlos’ post (August 18, 2014 @ 10:50 pm.). I just added a personal thinking at the bottom of Mr. Juan Carlos’ post. Regards
It really is nice to see the street dogs so well cared for in Santiago. You’re right — that’s not often the case. Enjoyed your pics.
I think all the world’s cities would be much nicer if people looked after their animals. They’re part of the population as well!
This makes me so happy! Every time I see a stray my heart breaks a little. I’ve adopted two rescues and they are the best. It’s great to see these sweet animals being taken care of the community. Great post!
How do you stop at two? Next time we speak I bet you’re going to have 3. And then 4… 🙂
…and wait till you get to Valparaiso! (Where maybe you already are/have been!) 🙂
Yes, I’ve just been to Valparaiso. Amazing! Stay tuned for the post from there…
It’s awesome to hear how well street animals are cared for – really says something about the spirit of the people who live there. And nice post – it’s always interesting to look at a city for a different perspective – in this case through puppy dog eyes!
Ha ha. I think the dogs were eating better than I was. Not to say the food in Santiago was bad… it was actually really nice. But no one found me and fed it to me! 🙂
Hey Turtle,
Your blog reminded me of an Australian movie – Red Dog (its an amazing movie based on real story). Your blog is really inspirational. I don’t like street dogs but I will make sure to feed them whenever I get a chance. Thanks.
P.S: Hey Turtle – Your blogs are always heart touching; each and every words in your blog go straight into my heart.
Oh, I’ve never seen Red Dog but have always wanted to! Maybe I’ll
download itobtain it legally somehow…The photos of happy street dogs reminds me of Gandhi-type quote “The measure of a civilization is how it treats its weakest members.” It’s no wonder that Chile was voted #2 on 10 Best Ethical Destinations.
I didn’t realise Chile was #2. It makes sense though. It wasn’t what I expected from a South American country. The way they look after their dogs is just one example of a country that seems very comfortable with itself and looks out for the welfare of everyone and everything.
Those dogs look amazingly healthy for street dogs, a huge contrast to the street dogs here in Thailand.
Yeah, I’ve the poor dogs in Thailand. You don’t want to go near them because they’re probably so full of diseases! 🙁
Wow — that’s so awesome! I love dogs 🙂 Just another good reason to visit Chile! Great post, thanks for sharing.
Trust me, there are lots of good reasons to visit Chile!
Ahhh – the dog gangs of Chile; how I miss them! I’ve never been to another country with so many strays. I never noticed that they are well looked after; I don’t think Chile has anything like an RSPCA or Humane Society (correct me if I’m wrong)…
Of course, I should have mentioned the gangs. They love to prowl the streets together and bark at all the other dogs trapped behind fences. He he.
I haven’t heard about an RSPCA equivalent in Chile… anyone?
My street dog wasn’t treated this well. That’s why I adopted him and brought him home!
Good on you for taking him in! Whereabouts did you do that?
So heartening to hear this. I volunteer to walk dogs at the animal shelter in Munich and love to hear the good stories.
I hope people in Munich treat their animals well. Especially in those freezing winters!!
Really heartening to know that there are strays like this, they really need home and care. I hope some people in that place would mind to adopt any street dogs.
Complete contrast to Belize and Guatemala. Even dogs with tags looked disheveled and flea-ridden. A crying shame to see so many dogs like that.
I guess it’s easy to just ignore the stray animals and live your life around them. But it brings a bit more meaning to a community when they show some compassion like in Santiago.
Great post! I am planning a move to Chile next year and want to bring my dog, and one of my concerns is how accepting they are of them. This makes me feel so much better!
You’ll have no problems with the dog in Chile. In fact, the biggest issue will be making sure it doesn’t get overfed! 🙂
I know my wife is going to love Santiago simply for this fact, thanks for sharing.
Good to know! It’s a great city, even aside from this. Make sure you give yourself enough time to check out some of the different neighbourhoods.
Really, These dogs are very lovely and healthy, but I am very sad see that, these lovely dogs are on the street. Thanks to sharing these lovely pictures . I love it.
It is sad to see dogs on the street but it’s much better to see healthy ones on the street, isn’t it?
Tu viste la parte mas bonita de Santiago, pero a sus alrededores, donde vive la gente pobre, hay muchos perros en pésimas condiciones, desnutridos y muriendo. Que viven en basurales buscando entre medio de la basura y escombros algo para poder comer, pasan frió en invierno y heladas, lluvias, la verdad que lo pasan muy mal. La gente los abandona a su suerte, y mas cuando tienen cachorros, deben sobrevivir. Es una pena, que no hayas visto la verdadera realidad.
I’ve seen this respect and love for dogs also in other countries like Romania where there is a large stray dog population. Nice article. Thanks.
Thank you for your heartwarming article.
Many of the street dogs in Valparaiso are not so happy and healthy. Owners should be responsible for their pets. There were over 5000 injuries from dog bites in 2010. We could help alleviate this problem by magnatory fines for owners and neutering programs. Lets hold these owners responsible.
I just came home from visiting Santiago. Yes, most of this article is true. The street dogs wear coats made by volunteers to keep them warm, and
yes there are empty doghouses so stray dogs have a place to go.
However, they need to band together and spay and neuter. That is the answer to the stray dogs. Control the populations.
I live in Santiago, and although what you saw in our streets is real, some of your conclusions aren´t . The food you saw at markets are not intended for feeding street dogs, but a cheaper way to buy food for home pets (instead of buying brand food at pets’ stores or supermarkets). The reason why we have so many dogs at streets is because many families use to abandon their pets. It is very usual to see dogs (even puppies) wandering at suburban areas where their owners go to release them. It’s a pity!!! Fortunately, new generations are more sensible to this matter, and is usual to find adopted dogs and cats at university campuses, where they find love, medical care, vaccinations and food in an safer environment that streets. ¡¡Regards!!
As a turistic experience it may be fun… As a daily life condition is very bad for the dogs, the people, livestock, and wildlife. Dogs in the street are the main environmental concern in Chile (2018 data). Leave a couple of links… and please dont sell it as an attraction. https://www.uv.cl/images/index/_img_n2f.php?id=5340
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjqXNvLAiE0&t=1s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYQsphe-V04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETnRMXxlnVg&t=1s
Agreed
In Europe dogs are chiped, in South America they live in the streets. In europe dogs get a better treatment than foreign workers
Bit of a naive take on the dog problem in Chile. The country needs to fix them, then keep them in shelters. And they need to the educate youth that dogs don’t belong in the streets to begin with, They need to control the population. That and status. The more pure bread dog you have the better status you show. Not many want to bring the mutt into their house, or pay to take it to the vet. Also some have collars and owners, but they free roam during the day. And the males impregnate the females and the problem continues. Sure they figure out how to adapt but when they are injured or sick, who’s caring for them then?? Need to spend more time there and see the situation for what it really is. A Problem.
In Santiago, Chile, dogs are a ubiquitous part of urban life. Many roam freely, forming a unique aspect of the city’s culture. Efforts are underway to address stray dog populations through adoption programs and spaying/neutering initiatives.