Given that we are spending a lot of time inside with family lately, I wanted to meet other Local Guides who have fur babies that they consider to be members of their family as much as I do with mine.
Last Saturday, I hosted my first virtual “Show & Tell” Local Guides meetup with 8 Local Guides from 5 continents and their pets using Google Hangouts:
- Asia – Sri Lanka (@IlankovanT)
- South America – Brazil (@SarahKa)
- Europe – Italy (@Giuseppe75), Poland (@Dreamcatcherka), Germany (@TorM)
- Africa – Nigeria (@IsaacOguji)
- North America – U.S.A. (@Denise_Barlock @LeyleyS)
Everyone, except Sarah (Local Guides Summit 2017 alumnus), knew each other from Connect Live 2019.
Interesting Meetup Fact: Not one cat!
We had 2 bunnies (llankovan), 8 small and large dogs (Sarah, Giuseppe, Ania, Torben, Denise, and me), and two birds (Isaac and Leyley).
I introduced my 13-year-old rescue Chihuahua Terrier mutt I adopted when she was three.
Ilankovan introduced his Sri Lankan bunnies.
Sarah introduced her two big, very friendly, street dogs.
Giuseppe introduced his beautiful, fluffy white Volpino Italiano
Ania introduced her “3rd daughter,” a black and white Shih Tzu.
Torben introduced his rescue dog (some kind of terrier) he brought back from Spain.
Isaac introduced his parrot, an Indian Ring-Necked Parakeet, that keeps him company while he is working.
Denise introduced her two Shih Poos (part Shih Tzu, part Toy Poodle)
Leyley introduced her children’s parakeet.
We talked about how our pets inspire us as we write reviews for Google Maps:
Dogs, Dogs, and More Dogs
In Germany and Northern Italy, dogs are allowed inside restaurants and bars. Giuseppe said in his city, Parma, there is one grocery store where he brings his dog inside and shops. But he does not bring his dog to Southern Italy because it is not as dog-friendly.
Torben brings his dog on camping and road trips. His dog loves going to the local forest where he can run off-leash and hunt down small animals (squirrels, birds, mice, moles).
In the U.S., Denise said we have dog parks, designed for dogs and their owners. You can bring a dog anywhere that does not sell food or is medical. No grocery stores, pharmacies, or doctor’s office unless the dog is a certified “therapy dog” and wears the therapy vest.
Dog-friendly stores will have a water bowl outside their entrances. They are allowed in restaurants and cafes that have outdoor dining areas. Hardware stores are very popular places to bring your dog.
Karen said that for some small dogs their owners will push their fur babies in dog strollers (prams) in parks, inside stores, and bring them into restaurants. You can also buy dog clothes.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, some dog parks are off-leash (dogs can run free in a confined area) and are designated for only small dogs or big dogs. And if you work in tech, many of the tech companies, including Google, encourage you to bring your dog to work. If not, there are dog daycare places you can take your dog to, like child daycare.
Leyley talked about how she would search on Google Maps for dog-friendly hotels that would accept her dog as a hotel guest.
Ania said in Poland you can take your dog to the park. However, Poland is not as dog-friendly as in Germany, Northern Italy, or the U.S.
In Brazil, Sarah said there are a lot of dogs. Many are treated like babies, similar to how Europe and the U.S. treat theirs. She includes these “dog-friendly” points in her Local Guides reviews.
Both Isaac and Leyley said in Nigeria and South Africa, dogs are considered “outside” animals as guard dogs. Dogs are not members of a family the way Americans and Europeans treat their pets.
Birds, Birds
Isaac said he has to go to a special store to buy bird food in Lagos. Bird food (pet food) is not easy to find as it is in the U.S. He was amazed at the variety for all kinds of animals found in American pet stores.
Bunnies
Ilankovan said he has taken his bunnies outside into his yard and has brought them to the local park in a box. But because they are small he does not feel safe to leave them alone outdoors. Something might swoop in and take them. 
Next Virtual: Pet-Friendly Local Guides Meetup?
If you are interested in attending this meetup with your pet, please comment below. I am happy to host again.
My meetups are small because I use the free version of Google Hangouts, which has a maximum of up to 10 participants, including me as the host. I want everyone to “show and tell.”
My Next Saturday Virtual Meetup is this Saturday, April 18th
Show & Tell Plant Lovers Social Sorry, already filled with a Wait List. Interested in attending a future meetup? Please comment and tag me in the Plant Lovers Social link.
Cheers,
Karen
I’m so jealous about this meetup. I was interested but I didn’t have any pet to show you guys. 
plus I got to love the pet dogs I saw. Thanks for organizing it. Looking forward to more… Cheers
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It was a great team there, nice to see you all.Take care!