A couple were left baffled by how some Spanish locals behave when it comes to taking their dogs for a walk and the cleaning up process – and they were very vocal about their displeasure
The last thing on your mind when taking the dog out for a walk is probably where your pet will urinate. It’s generally accepted that dogs just do their business, and there’s no need to clean up after them, regardless of where they choose to relieve themselves when it comes to a number one. However, one couple had a completely different experience when visiting Spain, receiving a culture shock as locals “yelled” at them for not being more considerate.
TikTok users Lance and Dua, who post under the handle @theldworld, revealed it was “only in Spain” they’d encountered this, not in America or Iceland, where they’re originally from.
Dua explained they were told they needed to “wash Rudi’s [their dog’s] pee with a water bottle”.
Lance then showed what they’d been instructed to do by a local, demonstrating the urine had to be entirely covered and washed away using bottled water.
Dua said they “have been yelled at by locals” multiple times for not cleaning up after their dog.
She recounted how one man even “made a scene” when there were many people around. She tried to explain to him that she didn’t “have water” to wash away the pee, asking him: “What am I supposed to do?”
Lance admitted he’d been “yelled at every time” by disgruntled locals. He was even caught out by a woman on a balcony who decided to give her two cents about what he was doing.
During the footage, Lance also raged that someone had their pooch off the lead without carrying a water bottle.
They were bewildered the regulation wasn’t enforced across the board, yet they’d faced criticism over it.
Lance claimed he was being “dead serious” when he insisted he was the “only one getting yelled at” for the conduct.
Nevertheless, it appears the duo escaped relatively unscathed, as certain regions in Spain demand dog owners don’t simply rinse away their pet’s wee with water, but use a disinfectant solution.
The Local Police in Seville were even granted powers to penalise pet owners who weren’t carrying disinfectant solution and fine those who fail to wash away their dog’s waste, according to Paws Patas.
This comes as Spain attempts to maintain the streets as spotless as possible, and clear of canine messes, including urine, as during sweltering weather, it can become intolerably pungent.
In the TikTok clip, someone moaned the pair appeared to be “complaining about cleaning up” after their hound.
Someone fumed: “It is the law now in many parts of Spain & you can be fined €€€ for not doing it. Locals are yelling at you because you are clearly foreigners. The fact that this has happened to you multiple times & you still forget the water bottle is disrespectful. As a fellow immigrant, please do better.”
Another person chimed in: “Starting spring 2026, Barcelona will enforce a new regulation requiring dog owners to clean their pet’s urine from streets using water or a disinfectant solution (like soap or vinegar). This is part of the upcoming reform of the city’s Civility Ordinance.
“Although the measure was approved by the city’s government commission in mid-2025, it is not yet in effect. Final approval is expected in November 2025, followed by official enforcement a few months later. Dog owners who fail to comply may face fines of up to €300.”
However, others rallied behind the couple, stating that “kindness is free,” and they shouldn’t have been “yelled” at when being informed about the rules.