In his senior years, Bastian finally ended up in a place where he’s truly appreciated.
Here, people are rarely afraid of him. Quite the opposite — they admire him and want to pet him. Even little grandmas stop to say hello. Out of all the countries we’ve lived in, Brazil turned out to be the most dog-friendly one.
I can mostly speak about Santos, but from what I’ve heard the situation is similar in many other Brazilian cities.
Dogs are everywhere here — and yet there are surprisingly few stray dogs.
Or rather, it works a bit differently: even many homeless people have dogs. They cover them with blankets when they sleep on cardboard boxes, sometimes hugging them. It’s oddly touching. They feed them, walk them, and even push them in carts together with their belongings.
I’ve only seen a few dogs without owners, and I’ve never seen them forming packs — at least not in Santos or nearby São Vicente.
Dog Infrastructure
Brazilians take their dogs almost everywhere.
Many shopping malls and stores allow dogs inside. In one mall we even saw special strollers you can borrow, so your dog doesn’t have to walk too much.
Officially dogs aren’t allowed on city beaches, but I’ve never actually seen anyone enforce that rule. And I’ve never seen people complaining about it either.
Pet infrastructure is very well developed. There are tons of pet stores. In our previous neighborhood we had three within walking distance.
Eventually we started ordering huge bags of dog food on Mercado Livre — it’s about twice cheaper than buying locally and they deliver straight to your door.
Many pet stores also have grooming salons inside. There are even standalone dog beauty salons around the city. You sometimes see golden retrievers walking out with perfectly styled fur and little shiny hair clips.
Veterinary Care
There are also plenty of veterinary clinics.
One Saturday we had to take Bastian to the vet unexpectedly. We assumed everything would be slow because it was the weekend — but no. The same day they did all the tests, called in a veterinary ultrasound specialist with a portable machine, prescribed medication and started treatment immediately.
It wasn’t cheap (about 800 reais), but everything worked and he recovered quickly.
We also got his vaccinations here. My tip: message several clinics on WhatsApp or Instagram and compare prices.
In our case the difference between clinics was about 20% for exactly the same vaccines. The rabies shot and the V10 combination vaccine ended up costing around 200 reais.
In some cities there are even free public veterinary clinics. I know for sure they exist in São Paulo and have good reviews.
And a new public animal hospital is currently being built somewhere between Nordeste area of Santos and São Vicente. There are also a few places in both cities that help pets for free, sometimes offering vaccinations or sterilization programs for residents.
There are also specialized clinics around the city — for example places that only do X-rays or veterinary dermatology. Thankfully we haven’t needed those yet.
Another interesting thing: there are pet insurance plans in Brazil. They usually cost somewhere between 25 and 200 reais per month.
But read the fine print carefully. A friend of mine bought one, and it turned out to be less of a “insurance” and more of a “discount program with a monthly fee.” Waiting periods, extra payments, and various limitations quickly appeared.
Renting an Apartment With a Dog
Finding housing with a dog turned out to be surprisingly easy. Many landlords are perfectly fine with pets and don’t charge extra.
Sometimes the rules of the condominium itself forbid animals, so it usually works like this: either pets are allowed or they’re not, regardless of size. But overall there are plenty of options. We managed to find places both on Airbnb and with long-term rental contracts.
One funny rule we noticed in condominiums: dogs usually have to use the service elevator, not the main one. And they’re supposed to enter the building through the service entrance rather than the front lobby. That rule existed in every building we stayed in.
Cleaning Up After Dogs
There are a lot of dogs in the city. If owners didn’t clean up after them, the streets would be a disaster. Not everyone does it, of course.
On the way to Lev’s school I have to watch my step carefully to avoid unpleasant surprises — and that’s at 7 a.m. already. Near the beach it’s usually much cleaner though.
But overall I do see many dog owners carrying poop bags. I’m not sure if there are fines for not cleaning up, but most people do pick up after their pets.
In some neighborhoods there are even dispensers with free bags at intersections, and of course you can buy them in any pet store.
Our Dog’s Brazilian Life
Overall, life with a dog in Brazil feels quite comfortable. Bastian is not particularly demanding, and he settled here surprisingly well.
The only thing he still struggles with is the reversed seasons in the southern hemisphere. Right now he clearly looks like he’s in his “winter coat” phase judging by his dark fur — which is funny, because summer is about to start.
And New Year’s Eve fireworks are still his biggest nightmare. Everything else seems to suit him just fine.
Getting him here was an absolute nightmare — but it was worth it.
Now this experienced moustached nanny is helping us raise our second child.
And after.
When Eva started eating solids, life clearly became even better for him. And she became a friend (and a new food provider)))
Looking at him now, it feels like Brazil might actually be his favorite country so far.
Strangers greet him in the street, kids wave at him, and grandmas want to pet him. After traveling halfway across the world with us, he somehow landed in a place where dogs are treated like celebrities.
Honestly, not a bad retirement plan.
Tchao!