Jávea with a dog: beaches, rules and dog parks

Are dogs allowed on the beaches in Jávea?

No. Under Xàbia's municipal by-law, the Ordenanza municipal de convivencia ciudadana, dogs and other pets are banned from all beaches all year round. There is no summer or winter exception and no designated dog beach. Anyone who tries anyway risks a fine.

The by-law does not only ban pets from the beach, it also bans them from fouling it. The council sign at the Arenal puts it in plain words: no dogs on the beach, and if you walk yours along the promenade, keep it on a lead.

Some beach websites say otherwise, occasionally claiming that dogs are welcome at the Arenal. That does not match what the council itself says. We have not found any decision creating a dog beach in Xàbia. We cannot rule out a later change to the by-law, so check the signs at the beach if you want to be certain.

The fines in the by-law give an idea: 100 euros for a dog on the beach and 150 euros if it fouls the beach. Treat them as an indication of the rates in the text, not a guarantee of what is imposed in practice.

Where can my dog go in Jávea?

To the four fenced dog parks in Xàbia, which the council has set up specifically for dogs. The same conditions apply to all four: pick up after your dog, walk it in and out on a lead, and make sure it is identified and vaccinated. Outside these zones there is less room for dogs than many visitors expect.

The first park is at Pou de Moro, beside the river Gorgos, and covers 3,700 square metres. The second is in the Parque Montaner, next to the Plaça de la Constitució, fenced off with a double gate. The other two are newer: one on the Avenida Amsterdam, near the Arenal school, and one beside the car park at Les Mesquides in Duanes.

According to council notices, sick dogs, dogs in heat and aggressive dogs are not welcome in the parks. Outside the designated zones, parks, gardens and children's playgrounds are off limits to dogs under the by-law, along with a 5-metre strip around them, unless access is expressly permitted.

Which nearby beaches do allow dogs?

None within Xàbia, but there are two options nearby. Dénia generally allows dogs on its natural beaches in the winter months, and Calp has an official dog beach at Cala Les Urques. Each municipality sets its own rules, so check the signs and the council website beforehand.

Xàbia: dogs are banned from all beaches all year round, outside the season too. The four dog parks are the alternative.

Dénia: according to the Dénia council notice, dogs are generally allowed on the natural beaches in the winter months, until the ban starts on 1 March. That ban runs until 31 October. In the months before high season a few designated beaches stay open to dogs, and in high season itself only the northern harbour breakwater. A few beaches are closed to dogs all year. The council sets the dates each year, so check the signs before you go.

Calp: Cala Les Urques is a small shingle cove about 100 metres long that the council has officially designated as a dog beach. You reach it from the Maryvilla development. We have not found a seasonal rule.

What are the rules for dogs on the street in Jávea?

Keep your dog on a lead in public places, and choose one shorter than two metres. Pick up any mess straight away. This is in both the municipal by-law and the animal welfare law of the Comunitat Valenciana. For dangerous dogs, a muzzle is required as well.

The duty to keep dogs on a lead and to clean up is in the by-law; the maximum length of the lead comes from the Valencian law. Whoever is with the dog must remove its mess immediately.

The fines in the by-law, all for minor offences, give an indication: 60 euros for a dog off the lead, 150 euros for leaving mess behind and 150 euros for a dog in a play area or within 5 metres of one. These are amounts from the text of the by-law, not a guarantee of what happens in practice.

Can my dog come along into the countryside?

Keep it on a lead in the countryside. Spain's animal welfare law bans letting dogs off the lead in protected natural areas, and in Xàbia's public spaces the lead rule already applies. For any extra rules set by the management of a particular area, it is best to read the signs at the entrance.

That goes for the Parc Natural del Montgó too, the protected mountain massif above Jávea. We have not been able to check exactly what the park management requires for dogs there, so assume a lead and look at the signs on the spot.

A second danger is the processionary caterpillar. According to the Generalitat Valenciana it is dangerous to dogs, and the caterpillars come down from the pines at the start of spring. The authorities advise avoiding walks through pine woods between the end of winter and the start of spring and keeping your dog on a lead.

If your dog does come into contact with the caterpillars, rinse the area without rubbing, do not let it vomit and go straight to a vet.

Can you leave a dog in the car in summer?

No, never leave your dog in a closed car. Spain's animal welfare law bans leaving animals in closed vehicles where the temperature could endanger their lives. The law of the Comunitat Valenciana goes further: a parked vehicle without protection from the sun and without proper ventilation and temperature is off limits to animals.

Under the Valencian law, a minor offence costs 100 to 3,000 euros, and penalties are heavier if the animal suffers serious harm. It is about protection from the sun as well as enough ventilation and a suitable temperature; if in doubt, simply do not leave the dog.

Because the dog cannot come onto the beach, it is tempting to leave it in the car for a moment while you swim. Don't: plan beach time separately from outings with the dog, and on warm days choose an early walk on the lead or a visit to a dog park instead.

What do you need to arrange to travel to Jávea with your dog?

Within the EU your dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport; from the United Kingdom it is an animal health certificate for each trip. It can only have the vaccine from twelve weeks old and not before it is chipped. It can only travel 21 days after the first vaccination.

An authorised vet issues the EU pet passport; older passports remain valid. A tapeworm treatment, which a few other countries require, is not needed for Spain. The current conditions are on Your Europe, the official EU site for travellers.

If you travel from the United Kingdom, you need a new animal health certificate for every separate trip. There too the chip must come before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, the dog must be twelve weeks old and you wait 21 days. Check the current requirements on gov.uk before you book.

Only small dogs can travel to Jávea by coach. ALSA takes only pets under 10 kilos, in a sturdy, closed and waterproof carrier in the luggage hold, and the dog must be over twelve weeks old and microchipped. ALSA advises against travelling with pets on days and at times when it is warmer than 25 degrees. Assistance dogs travel free. For a larger dog, the coach is therefore not an option.

How do you find a place to stay where dogs are welcome?

Switch on the 'pets allowed' filter and then read the property's own policy, because it differs from one place to the next. Booking.com has that filter and says itself that pet policies vary widely between hotels. Search for Xàbia and check beforehand that your dog is welcome.

Ideally, get the policy confirmed in writing before you book, especially if your dog is large or you are travelling with more than one animal. Also ask whether there is a charge for a dog and where in the property it is allowed.

Do you need insurance for your dog?

Not yet compulsory, but it is in the law. Spain's animal welfare law requires liability insurance for dogs, but the duty only becomes enforceable once an implementing decree exists. According to an information note from Spain's insurance regulator, that decree had not yet appeared.

We have not been able to confirm whether that has changed since. So check for yourself whether your own liability insurance covers damage caused by your dog abroad, and whether your travel insurance covers anything for your dog.

What do dog owners most often want to know?

The short version: the beach is off limits, the four dog parks and walks on the lead are the alternative, and for the journey you need a chip, a rabies vaccination and a passport or certificate. The most common questions are answered briefly below.

Can my dog go on the beach in Jávea in winter? No. The ban applies all year round.

Is there a dog beach in Jávea? No. There is an official dog beach in Calp, and Dénia generally lets dogs on its natural beaches in winter.

Must my dog always be on a lead? Yes, in public places, with a lead shorter than two metres.

Can my dog travel on the coach? Only if it weighs less than 10 kilos and fits in a carrier in the luggage hold.

Can I leave my dog in the car for a moment? No, not in a closed or unprotected car.