A neighborhood in Vienna has launched a campaign encouraging dog owners to dilute their pets’ urine on trees to help protect urban greenery. The initiative, introduced this week in Neubau—a densely populated district known for its cafes and galleries—aims to reduce damage to about 250 trees planted over the past decade as part of local efforts to combat the effects of climate change.

The “Schönes Gassi” (nice dog walk) campaign, led by the community group Grätzllabor in collaboration with concerned residents, advises dog owners to rinse urine-marked areas on trees with bottled tap water. The guideline, promoted under the slogan "Das Flascherl zum Sackerl" (the bottle to go with the bag), emphasizes that while dogs use urine to mark territory, the corrosive effects of ammonia and other substances in the urine can harm bark, exposing trees to pathogens and fungi and potentially compromising their stability.

“Marking territory is a form of communication for dogs, but it causes stress for urban trees,” said Grätzllabor. The group highlighted that dilution through watering can significantly lower the concentration of harmful compounds and soften odors, thereby mitigating damage without encouraging more frequent urination on greenery. Dog owners are also urged to carry plastic bags to clean up solid waste, and free 270ml water bottles are being distributed at Vienna’s town hall to facilitate the rinsing process. The program is currently voluntary but may be extended to other districts.

Dog trainer Conny Sporrer expressed support for the campaign, noting it could preempt more restrictive measures targeting dog waste in the city. “In Vienna, we don’t need a city full of dog bans, or a city where dogs are just allowed to urinate anywhere they please,” she said. Sporrer added that most dogs can be trained to use appropriate areas, and what is needed is "consideration, education and sufficient suitable facilities for dogs."

This initiative follows similar programs in several European countries and Japan, where authorities have sought to address the environmental impact of canine urine in urban areas. Spain, which has the highest proportion of dog-owning households in the European Union at 70%, has implemented comparable approaches. By contrast, Austria has a lower rate of dog ownership, with only 17% of households owning dogs.

Elsewhere in Europe, cities have experimented with various methods to protect urban trees. In Berlin, where dog ownership surged during the pandemic, authorities in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district have stopped planting black locust trees, which are particularly sensitive to urine damage. The district also introduced “pee stones” in spring, providing designated targets for dogs to urinate on, aiming to preserve other green spaces.