A hypothesis must be bold.
Here's one: it is possible to detect in a country the level of adherence and
respect of citizens to the laws
from the exercise of observing the behavior of people with their
pets
on the streets.
Exaggerated?
Maybe.
Let's see.
Dog walkers.
Photo: pexels
Sweden is one of the
least corrupt
countries
in the world.
At least, that is how its population perceives it, according to the index prepared by the Organization for International Transparency.
In 2023, it was
the sixth least corrupt country
;
at other times, it is better located.
But ultimately, it never leaves the edge of nations assuming that
the laws are there to be followed.
The Argentine writer, who lives in Stockholm,
Virginia Higa
has dedicated some paragraphs of her beautiful book
The Spell of Summer
(Sigilo) to observing the relationship of Swedes with their pets.
Silent is said
tyst
First, he says that dogs
are extremely silent
: "They travel on public transport and never bark, and when they do, people turn around to look at them. Silent is called
tyst
, which
sounds like a joke
, and in my opinion it should be pronounced always with a finger crossed over his lips.
Then, she says that Swedish dogs walk down the street with their owners, "
almost always on a leash
, although I have seen some that are loose, especially on the outskirts of the city, and they are not like the dogs I was used to." "In the cities of the Argentine interior, loose dogs
are a threat
: they eternally chase bicycles and motorcycles, cause traffic accidents, nibble the ankles of those who go out for a run and scare children."
A dog walker works in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 10, 2021. (Xinhua/Martín Zabala)
And he also points out that
there are no stray dogs in Sweden
: "Dog existence is as functional and orderly as that of the humans with whom they live. There are daycare centers for dogs; there are also schools where they are educated.
It is not possible to adopt a puppy
. Dogs are sold and bought, and the price is very high. One day I asked my Swedish teacher why it was not possible to adopt an animal. She answered me the following: when people have to pay
for
something, they take it
more seriously
."
In the index that lists countries by the corruption that their inhabitants perceive, Argentina
is
in 98th place out of 180 nations.
It shares the
middle zone
with Albania and Belarus, above, and Ethiopia and Gambia, below.
Anyone who takes care of a
pet
in the
City of Buenos Aires
, for example, knows that the regulations always
apply to others
and never to their own dog.
"I wear it loose because
it's good
."
"I don't pick up the poop because I just
don't have
a bag."
"I didn't write down my Rottweiller because he is
tame
."
"I walk 10 dogs because they are small."
"I raise poodles in an apartment because they don't take up much space."
A hypothesis must be bold.
Respect for the laws is based on respect for the community.
And the rules
are for everyone
.