It was still early in the morning, around 7:15 am.
Gigi’s owners wanted to get her out for a walk before the temperatures started to soar, as a severe heatwave was underway in the country.
A quick dip to cool down
Gigi’s owner decided to let her paddle in the lake with him to escape the stifling heat. But while the dip was incredibly refreshing, the owner's heart sank the moment they stepped back onto the shore.
Waiting for them were two local police officers, ready to hand over a hefty fine. He was given a 400-franc fine because dogs were banned from that specific area and she was off her lead. On top of that, there was a 100-franc administrative fee, bringing the total to a whopping 500 Swiss francs (around £440) just for letting Gigi cool off during a heatwave.
Fighting the decision
In Geneva, the local regulations are very strict: dogs are only permitted on designated dog-friendly beaches. It turned out Gigi and her owners were not in the correct zone.
Gigi’s owners are disputing the fine. They argue that Gigi was not running wild, the beach was completely empty at that time of the morning, and dogs need a way to cool down when temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Animal welfare campaigners suggest a sensible compromise would be to create clearly marked zones or specific time slots. This would allow pets to enjoy the lake safely without bothering other members of the public. What do you think?
Translated from the FR Wamiz website using artificial intelligence
