Pet Culture Around the World: Daily Life, Travel and Tradition

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in November 2024. It has been substantially revised and fact-checked to better reflect cultural differences in human-animal relationships, pet-travel practices and animal-welfare considerations. Transportation and entry rules can change. Travelers should confirm requirements with official agencies and carriers before traveling with an animal.

A dog sleeping under a café table in Paris may barely draw a glance. The same animal may be unwelcome inside a restaurant elsewhere. In Nepal, dogs receive garlands and ceremonial marks during Kukur Tihar. In Mexico, the Xoloitzcuintli carries a cultural history that reaches back to the pre-Hispanic world.

Looking at pet culture around the world quickly shows that there is no single global idea of a “pet.”

Animals can be family members, working partners, religious symbols or community animals. Even the word pet can be limiting. It centers companionship, while societies have long valued animals for protection, hunting, pest control, herding and spiritual meaning.

For travelers, that distinction matters. Taking an animal abroad also means entering someone else’s culture with them.

When Pets Become Family

In the United States, the language of pet ownership has shifted toward pet parenthood. Many dogs and cats sleep in our beds and appear in holiday photographs. Some even have medical plans that resemble other household expenses.

I understand the impulse. There was a time when our cat was the only member of our household with health insurance. It sounded funny, but the coverage gave us peace of mind.

The American Pet Products Association reported that 95 million U.S. households owned at least one pet in 2025. The number will change, but the cultural shift behind it is more durable. For many Americans, pets are part of the family.

That helps explain the expansion of pet-friendly travel, including hotels, vacation rentals and outdoor experiences.

A family-centered relationship also exists across much of Europe, but Europe is not one pet-friendly culture. Rules vary by country, city, business and transport operator. The European Union does, however, provide a pet-passport system for qualifying dogs, cats and ferrets traveling between member countries.

Japan: Affection Meets Urban Order

Japan shows how affection for animals can coexist with tightly managed public space.

Dogs are a familiar sight in Tokyo, sometimes in carriers, bicycle baskets or pet strollers. On JR Central trains, small pets must remain inside approved cases. They cannot be released in stations or on trains. The rule reflects something travelers often encounter in Japan: shared spaces come with clear expectations.

Japan also helped popularize the modern animal-café concept. Cat cafés became especially visible in major cities, offering time with animals without requiring pet ownership.

However, travelers should not assume that every animal encounter marketed as cute is humane. Recent animal-welfare research has raised concerns about some exotic-animal cafés in Japan. Those concerns include repeated handling and conditions for wildlife species.

A place can reveal something about local pet culture and still deserve scrutiny.

Nepal: A Festival That Honors Dogs

During Tihar, a five-day Hindu festival in Nepal, the second day is Kukur Tihar. Dogs are honored with flower garlands, tika and food. The Nepal Tourism Board describes the day as honoring dogs and their connection to Yama, the god of death.

Kukur Tihar is sometimes described online as an Indian “festival of dogs.” Its cultural home, however, is Nepal. Related Hindu traditions can cross national borders.

For a traveler, Kukur Tihar is more than a colorful photo opportunity. It expresses a religious and cultural relationship with dogs. Respect means observing without disrupting animals or worshippers for a photograph.

Mexico: Companions, Community Animals and Cultural Symbols

The Xoloitzcuintli, or Xolo, is not simply a fashionable hairless breed. Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History documents its importance in pre-Hispanic beliefs. Some traditions held that dogs helped guide the dead toward Mictlán.

That history still appears in Mexican art and Day of the Dead imagery.

Modern Mexico also shows why the labels “pet” and “stray” can be too simple. Household pets, free-roaming dogs, community-fed animals and street dogs can exist within the same destination. Travelers may meet people who regularly feed or watch over dogs that do not live inside one home.

That does not mean every street animal is safe or healthy. It means visitors should avoid assuming that an animal without a visible owner has no relationship with the community.

Our story about Mexico’s street dogs explores how travelers can help without creating added problems for local rescuers and residents.

Faith, Culture and the Limits of Generalization

Religious traditions influence attitudes toward animals, but they rarely create one uniform rule for an entire region.

In Muslim-majority societies, dogs have a complex place in Islamic legal and cultural traditions. Some schools of Islamic law have treated dogs, or dog saliva, as ritually impure. Dogs have also served as hunters, guards and working animals. Contemporary attitudes vary among countries, families and religious interpretations.

That is why statements such as “the Middle East loves cats but not dogs” are misleading.

Instead, travelers should watch what local people actually do. Are dogs welcome on café terraces? Are animals common inside homes? Does a hotel allow pets but restrict them from shared spaces? Local practice may tell you more than a sweeping label.

Traveling With Pets Across Cultures

International pet travel requires more than finding a hotel with a paw-print icon.

Countries may require microchips, rabies vaccinations, health certificates, parasite treatments or specific entry points. Airlines and rail companies can impose separate carrier, size and booking rules. A pet may legally enter a country while still facing different rules in everyday public spaces. Restaurants, markets, religious sites and public transportation can each have their own expectations.

Before traveling, check the destination’s official animal-entry rules and your transportation provider’s pet policy. Then check the norms of the places you plan to visit.

Finally, ask one more question: Will the trip actually be good for the animal?

A pet that enjoys road trips may find a long flight, unfamiliar climate and constant hotel changes stressful. Responsible pet travel begins with animal welfare, not our desire to bring a pet everywhere.

For domestic planning, our guide to traveling with pets in the USA offers additional practical guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Culture and Travel

Are pets treated the same way around the world?

No. Attitudes vary by country, religion, city, household and animal species. Animals may be family members, working partners or part of a community without belonging to one household.

Which countries are easiest for traveling with pets?

There is no permanent list. Entry rules, airline policies and accommodation rules change. The easiest destination is one where current requirements and local conditions suit your animal.

Is visiting an animal café responsible tourism?

Not automatically. Consider the species, handling rules, crowding and whether animals can retreat from visitors. Exotic-animal cafés deserve especially careful scrutiny.

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