Author: Ana Paula Maia Abreu Massa

Program of Study: Master of Laws (LLM), Law School

Cute dog enjoying Belmont Harbor Beach

Description: Who doesn't love dogs? While the care for dogs is universal, in the few weeks I've been in the city I discovered that Chicago's dog obsession is part of the city's identity. In this podcast, I'll walk you through the amazing experiences you can have with your furry companion in the city and the reasons why I think Chicago has such a deep connection with their dogs

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Transcript (provided by author): 

Welcome to the ELI’s Finding Chicago Global Perspectives Podcast Series for AEPP 2025.

I’m your host, Ana Paula, and I’m currently enrolled in the University of Chicago’s Law School. Today, I’ll talk about how differently dogs are treated in here the city of Chicago.

I’m from Brazil and as my fellow classmates already know, I have six dogs.

And it’s an absolute nightmare to take them places.

For example, in Brazil, in order to take your dog for a walk, you have go through the back entrance and the service elevator.

So it’s a whole thing to take your dog to go places. You don’t have the infrastructure for proper dog friendly spaces.

I also have big dogs, which adds to the complication.

And I was really afraid of bringing them with me to Chicago. I mean, the University of Chicago is a lot of studying, so I was afraid they would get lonely, being stuck in the house all day.

But then, when I actually got to Chicago, I found that you can actually have the most amazing experiences for dogs here in the city.

I stayed with my family at the hotel and there were dogs, big dogs, small dogs, every type of dog, everywhere.

They were even freely roaming through the halls at the lobby and everyone was so nice to them. They even gave them cookies. And I thought maybe that’s just in this one hotel.

But then, when I got to my building I found that they have the most amazing amenities for dogs there. They have a dog playground area and a dog washing area. You can bring your dog to the rooftop parties. And there was even a Dog Fashion Show last week.

I also went to some of my friends’ buildings and they have the same care for dogs there.

However, that’s not restricted to the building areas. Some restaurants have dog menus. London House had a rooftop dog party. And they even have beaches that are dog friendly. I went last saturday to Belmont Harbor, the dog friendly area, and they have a fenced space that you could let your dog off the leash and let them play in the sand and by the lake.

I mean, the beach even has a self-serve dog wash where you can clean your dog after using the beach.

As I explored the city in the last few days, I stumbled across many public and private opportunities for spending quality time with a dog.

Even in social settings like bars and restaurants.

And all of these things I found got me thinking, why is Chicago so dog friendly?

All over the world people love their dogs, but Chicago goes above and beyond to provide public and private amenities for dogs.

Well, to answer that question, I did some people watching at the lakefront and took some stalker pictures of people spending quality time with their dogs.

Chicago people are really close and affectionate with their dogs, treating them as part of the family.

I believe that that is due to the cold winters maybe, because the temperatures drop a lot.

And people are home all day, it could get lonely and a dog is a great companion.

It’s kind of like how people got dogs a lot during the pandemic. But in Chicago’s case, it’s a yearly occurrence.

Chicago is also a planned city, so you have a lot of big green spaces here.

Even without the dog amenities that there are in the city, you’ve got the river walk, the millennium park, the Navy Pier, there are a lot of opportunities for fun activities that you include your dog in. So I believe that that encourages people to have that furry companion.

It is clear that the connection with dogs and perceiving them as part of the family is a big part of Chicago culture. And Chicago as a city has no choice but to adapt to citizens’ needs and become a dog-friendly community.

And in that sense, Chicago’s dog obsession feeds itself. Because as more amenities come from the public spaces to private areas like bars and restaurants that let you have dogs in them, that encourages people to get a dog in the city and to go out with your dog, and it becomes part of the city’s identity.

It turns out, dogs fit perfectly into Chicago as a city.

They make fun parts of the city even more enjoyable. Giving outdoor opportunities for families to throw the ball for them and have fun by the lake and by the parks and all the great green spaces that the city provides.

But they also help out with some great problems that the city has, like seasonal depression.

Having a furry companion can help you battle through the winter days and have more fun even if it’s indoors.

And I believe it’s because of what the dogs can offer to the citizens that the city greets them with such open arms.

And that’s why I believe Chicago is a great place for dogs and dog lovers. And it’s amenities are endless and there’re fun activities for the whole family, including your furry companion.

Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoyed me talking about my favorite subject, dogs.

Oh, and if you’re wondering if you should bring your dog with you to the city, please don’t make the same mistake I did. And let your furry companion experience the tail wagging city that is Chicago.