Swiss people like to keep their streets spotless, but one city is taking this quest for cleanliness up a notch with a focus on dogs owners.
Every municipality in Switzerland has a law requiring owners to pick up after their dog, providing free poop bags just for this purpose.
Not doing so can result in fines ranging from 40 to 150 francs, depending on the municipality and canton.
But the city of Chiasso in Ticino has gone a step further.
From mid-August, it will require owners to also “neutralise” their pets’ urine “by immediately pouring a sufficient amount of water over the affected area to clean it.”
To this end, dog owners are required to carry a small bottle or another suitable container of water with them at all times while walking their pets.
Owners who are caught not complying with the ordinance will be slapped with a fine of up to 100 francs.
Community pressure
According to Chiasso mayor Bruno Arrigoni, “we have received several reports, both from private citizens and from the neighbourhood associations, complaining about the odour.”
It seems that the combination of heat and drought “intensified the stench of urine,” especially in the city centre, where people usually stroll.
First in Switzerland, but not unprecedented in Europe
While Chiasso is the first Swiss town to impose the urine-cleaning rule, it is not the first in Europe, where several municipalities had already introduced this measure.
In Italy, Parma and Livorno implemented this rule at the beginning of 2026.
And in Spain, Barcelona and several other municipalities have launched awareness campaigns to this effect as well.
