Dangerous Roads for Pets: The Canine Society Demands Safe Rest Areas

The Royal Canine Society of Spain (RSCE) has denounced the lack of safe and adapted spaces on roads, a shortcoming that puts the safety of animals and their owners at risk, especially in summer. The RSCE proposes designated areas with drinking fountains, shade, and recreation areas to ensure animal welfare while traveling.

Seven out of ten Spanish drivers believe that service areas on the country's highways lack the necessary infrastructure for those traveling with their pets.

This is one of the main conclusions highlighted by the Royal Canine Society of Spain (RSCE) , based on data from a report prepared by Royal Canin, the RACE (Spanish National Research Council), and the DGT (Directorate-General for Animal Health). The RSCE describes this situation as an "unacceptable deficiency" that compromises animal safety and welfare, especially during stops and rest periods.

José Miguel Doval, president of the RSCE, emphasizes that "effectively incorporating accessibility and animal welfare criteria into the adaptation and improvement of roadside service areas is a fundamental step toward building a mobility model that is not only safer, but also adapted to the real, everyday needs of all travelers."

These improvements not only benefit the animals, but also contribute to a better travel experience for everyone, reducing tension, fatigue, and stress for both people and pets.

The lack of pet-friendly infrastructure forces many drivers to stop in unsafe places, such as hard shoulders or unsafe areas, often located on or very close to secondary roads.

These roads are precisely those with the highest accident rates involving animals, accounting for 70% of all accidents. The situation worsens during periods of high mobility, such as summer, when more than 36% of Spanish drivers regularly travel with their pets, highlighting a growing need to adapt road infrastructure to this reality.

Therefore, the RSCE is urgently calling for the creation of enclosed, marked, and equipped pet-friendly spaces in service areas. These should include basic features such as drinking fountains, shaded areas, non-slip surfaces, and safe spaces for dogs to run and play freely. According to the RSCE, this would allow pets to stretch their legs, hydrate, and relax safely, which in turn would reduce unpredictable behaviors that distract drivers and increase the risk of accidents.