Europeans like to take their dogs to town, and on holidays, and anywhere else they choose to go. This phenomenon is so prevalent that most B&Bs indicate whether pets are welcome (most seem to be OK with small dogs, and some are happy to accommodate large dogs too), there is a surprising number of public drinking bowls for dogs, and dogs are allowed on public transport provided they are suitably restrained by their handler. Surprisingly, the footpaths seem to remain almost perfectly safe, which had me very puzzled in Venice where I didn’t see a single patch of grass – although plenty of signs advertised the penalties for unacceptable behaviour ranging from failing to clean up after your dog to going bare-chested in public... 
The only things about this pet culture that seem to be a problem are the people who carry around half a dozen toy-sized dogs in baskets and handbags, and the fact that the corridor of the hotel I’m currently sitting in reeks of cats – although I’ve seen no sign of cats since we arrived.
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