Nearly 500 dog owners up and down the country were fined in a concerted police swoop on licensing infractions last week.
Operation ‘Perro’ also seized five dogs – four pitbulls and a rottweiler.
In all, 133 owners of potentially dangerous dogs were fined for various offences, from failing to have the proper licences, adequate security and private pet insurance to not having them duly sterilised, while 363 owners of dogs of other breeds were fined for a range of other infractions.
Portugal requires all dog owners to have licences for their animals, which must be micro-chipped and have up-to-date rabies vaccines.
For more information, dog owners should go to their local Junta de Freguesia parish council.
