Advantage Of Public Transportation For Pets In Barcelona

Title and Research Objectives

The main objectives of this paper is to determine if exist a need of incorporate a public transportation for dogs in Barcelona, Spain and if it could be a real service.

Literature review

If pets are to have a place in cities of the future then it can no longer be left to chance, we need to stat planning for it now, this does not mean a radical pro-pet approach but it does mean looking for ways, Virginia Jackson (1998)

The emotional attachment of a human being for his dog is frequently as strong as the attachment that one human being has for another Alan Beck (2002) it could be one of reason why many people have dogs as pet, in a research article by Benjamin Lenth, Richadr Knight and Mark Brenan (2008,) said that exist approximately 400 million dogs worldwide. Focusing in the research topic, Maria Jesus Ibañez (2011) register that in Barcelona, Spain estimates indicate that the figure is around 3 million dogs and cats, making Barcelona one of the province in Spain with more pets.

Susana Quadrado (2011) compare there are almost as many dogs as people living in Girona and some who live in Cornella de Llobregrat, The author calculate the dimension of this issue to weight: Barcelona sweepers can reach an annual harvest 770 pounds of poop of the urban ground beneath the citizens. Without going to far, it is to easy finding opinions of Barcelona citizien who support the idea of Susana Quadrado about the huge amount of dogs poops in Barcelona streets, also complain for the dogs without chain and how this situation get worse, B. Gruñon (2011)

This two authors (Quadrado and Gruñon) contribute to generate controversial opinions about what pet represent, for the last eight years there had been a tendency growing to veer towards extremes For an increasingly large sector of the population, the dog is now perceive as a dangerous and dirty animal with few redeeming qualities: a source of vicious and unprovoked assaults on children, fatal or debilitating disease risks, and unacceptable levels of organic pollution in our street and public parks, a veritable menace to society, James Serpell (1995).

Javier Asensio and Jose-Luis Raymond (2004) all companies operate as a regulated monopoly and usually no competition is found in the market. Therefore this paper takes “Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) as an example and does not takes a private company to add a route and buses for pets.)

In Barcelona subway and buses is prohibit travel with animal, except assistance dogs, security dogs and pets transported in receptacles appropriate (TMB Norms and recommendations, N.A) in contras to others Spain cities, like Zaragoza who have evaluate and modify the public transport permits, allowing the usage of the bus to 50.000 families who could not use it for having a pet, and they are forced to use private transport, the main idea is to achieve coexistence between animals and human, also to help the citizen with pets and try to find a set of rules which entail no discomfort, Assier Muñoz del Valle (2012). Among cities with highest quality of live Mercer (2012) such a Vienna, Zurich and London change the rules to incorporate the dogs in society.

Maribel Garcia (2011) notes that could be a pretty reality for pets lovers the possibility of travelling in public transportation with their pets in Barcelona, in contrast to B. Gruñon she think that people make more trash than pets. Jessica Greenebaum (2004) investigate the different human perception of what does mean have a dog in their life, she highlight the term of dog lovers, they have an “unique special type of connection with their dog that goes beyond most people’s relationships: they are family members, best friends”, she found that they desire and enjoy spoiling their dogs is a part of their live as well, to insure happiness and comfort in the dog’s life, some of the owners buy or rent cars to transport their dogs comfortably, coinciding with Maribel Garcia (2011) that pet lovers and dogs could enjoy a beautiful reality of travel with their dogs.

In Spain it is determined that the owners spend as regards the accessories, approximately 300 according to Spanish Association of Distributor of Products for Pets (2010) Jessica Greenebaum (2004) research support this expensives of the owners, she conclude that the owners have the willing to spoilt their dogs buying them expensive staff like they where more than a pet.

Research Strategy:

This study used a well-defined structure and following the guidelines that represent a positivist approach, this philosophy assurance information avoiding baseless speculations, being a very predominant way of knowing the social world, Lorraine Blaxter, Christina Hugues and Malcom Tigh (2006)

The theoretical perspective of this research is based on deductive approach, Besike (2007) informs that deductive research explores a known theory and test if that hypothesis is right or wrong though a particular design research, going from general to specific. The hypothesis concern that Barcelona should be another European city which allow pets in public transport, bringing benefits to dogs owners, this idea will be evaluated with primary data obtained through surveys, which had include measurable question to then compare the results with the hypothesis.

Data Collection: Methodology

According to the research objectives, we will focus on primary data to acquire unvarnished information of currently Barcelona citizen, the techniques used was though questioners with 24 questions (close and open question), The study concentrate in gathering data in two stages and from two different samples:

Sample A:

Segmentation description: The target did not have specific characteristics to make the survey, if it refers to the age the importance is that the person appears to be over than 18 years old. The majority of these groups were people walking his dog in specific places in Barcelona.

Methodology: To access the samples, the surveys where made in Parcs frequented by dogs owners and giving them three alternatives to complete the questioner: By email, Smartphone or fill in the written material. Also sent it though Social Media and related blogs to topic.

Schedule:

Date Day Hours Place (Bcn, Spain) Samples

9th Jan 2012 Wednesday From 15:30 to 16:10 Plaza Tetuan, 08010 5

9th Jan 2012 Wednesday From 22:30 to 23:05 Parc Guinardo, 08041 3

13th Jan 2012 Sunday From

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