The pet culture in Belgium

Member since 30 May 2013

PriscillaViP06 March 2019 09:25:47

42358

Hey everyone,

Pets are an integral part of a lot of families. So much so that they would never consider moving abroad without them. Before doing so, it would be important to know the pet culture in Belgium just to make sure that their little 聯expets聰 feel welcomed in their new homes. Would you give our expats-to-be an insight of what it is like to have a pet in Belgium by answering the following questions?

What part do pets play in society in Belgium? Are they generally accepted in rentals and public spaces more generally?

Is it common for families to have pets?

What animal is the most often kept as pets? Are there some animals that cannot be kept as pets? Do some animals have specific significations when kept as pets?

How about the infrastructure needed to cater for pets? Can you find everything you need for your pet in terms of pet food, veterinary services, accessories, pet grooming etc...?

Do people generally spend a lot of money on their pets?

Please share your experience,

Priscilla

phipiemar VIP Member

Member since 01 May 2013

phipiemarVIP Member08 March 2019 16:56:23

4733

Hello Priscilla,

Here is the requested information.

- Come to Belgium

- Access of animals in ...
As long as the animal is clean and well educated, and his master too, they are welcome in the majority of public places. However, pay attention to hygiene rules for restaurants and food outlets.
However, some "dangerous" dog breeds are not allowed on the street and in some cities. Even with muzzle

- Is it common for families to have pets?
More than a third of Belgian families own a pet.

- What are the most popular animals in Belgium?
Cats are the most popular (33%), in front of dogs (29%), fish (15%), birds (8%). 12% of Belgians have opted for other species.

- Are there some animals that cannot be kept as pets?
The possession of protected species is prohibited as well as the possession of wild animals.

- Is it easy to find suitable items and services: food, accessories, grooming, veterinary care?
Without any difficulty anywhere in Belgium

- What is the average share of the monthly budget allocated to pets in Belgium?
It is to leave to the free choice of the owner. And it also depends on the size of the animal. From 50鈧� to 100鈧� and more...

Veronica Solu Member

Member since 04 January 2011

Veronica SoluMember12 March 2019 09:48:17

Hallo,
Thanks for this opportunity to share something about pets that I learned in Belgium. Belgians love and cherish pets a lot. Coming in contact with them change my mindset about domestic animals. I worked for a woman named Majo in Pellenberg near Leuven when I was studying in KuLeuven.

She had a聽 black cat called Zwarte (Dutch word for black). We all loved him. Zwarte fell sick in 2013. He was so sick that he stopped eating. All effort to get him back to his feet proved abortive. The family gathered and planned to euthanize him (a very hard decision to take).

It was done few days later and we all prayed, buried and mourned for him. That was my first and lasting experience and how a pet should be cared for. It is so hard for me to forget him.

Veronica, from Nigeria

Treehorn Member

Member since 12 October 2018

TreehornMember25 March 2019 12:20:18

Thank you for starting this - my husband and I literally had a conversation about our concerns about moving to Belgium/Antwerp as we have cats and he read somewhere that it's hard to find an apartment rental that accepts pets. Is that the case? We aren't moving for 2 years but are starting to put pieces in play and place (and this is a bit of a concern).