Discover Spain's First Ever Concert for Dogs

Fantasía Canina was Spain’s first ever concert for dogs. This unprecedented event first took place in Spain back in 2016 as a homage to man’s best friend. Today, we’re going to tell you all about this amazing idea.

Fantasía canina, a very special concert for dogs

The idea for this event came from composer and percussionist Jesús Salvador Chapi. His goal was to organize and hold Spain’s first ever concert for dogs, using sounds that could only be heard by dogs. You could say that it was an ultrasonic concert.

When it came to getting the go-ahead for the project, officials announced that they “loved the idea”.

This special concert took place in Senyera Park in Valencia, Chapi’s home town, and the place where first had the idea for the event. The concert precinct measured over 100,000 square feet, enough space to hold over 150 dogs and their owners.

There are many other concerts where dogs are allowed to accompany their owners. This concert was different. This time, it was the owners that accompanied their pets. In fact, people had to pay 2 euros (just over 2 dollars) to enter, while dogs could enter completely free of charge.

Health and safety

Despite the celebratory occasion, owners still had to follow certain health and safety rules. All dogs had to be on a leash, and all “dangerous breeds” had to wear a muzzle, and be supervised at all times. Officials also reserved the right to refuse entry to aggressive dogs, or those who didn’t follow the rules.

The city’s events coordinators said they hoped the event would promote alternative styles of music by bringing them into the public eye. And what better public than man’s best friend? There’s no doubt, this unusual project was a really special homage to our four-legged companions.

Homages to animals from around the world

Dogs have been man’s best friend for millennia and dog-lovers are always looking for new ways to make them feel special, even just for a day. Spain’s concert for dogs is no exception.

Festivals around the world

• Tihar – The Festival of Lights, Nepal: Dogs hold an important place in the Hindu religion. The Festival of Lights is an event where people pay homage to dogs and other animals. They paint the foreheads of any animal they consider deserving of honor, making a small red dot in the center of the forehead. They also feed them special food, and even hang garlands around their necks.
• International dog day, USA: In the US, they have a special day just for dogs. Owners are allowed to take their dogs into work so that they can spend the day together, and also so they can make friends with other dogs. This event takes place every year on June 24th, and no employer can stop pets coming into work that day.
• Tombili, Istanbul’s beloved cat: There are also days where people pay tribute to one animal in particular. This is the case with Tombili, the famous cat of Istanbul. She rose to fame after a photograph of her lounging against a step went viral online. When she died, the city commissioned a statue in her honor, recreating her famous pose.
• International Cat Day: This day was created by Bill Clinton, in honor of his cat, Socks. Socks stole the hearts of not only his owner and his family, but also the of people throughout the US. International Cat day marks the day of his death.