Espoo’s dog parks are smoke-free
A council initiative submitted in November requested that the city’s dog park rules be clarified to explicitly prohibit smoking in dog parks. The initiative was approved at the City Council meeting on 23 February 2026.
The dog parks in different parts of Espoo are popular recreational and meeting areas. Cigarette butts and nicotine pouches left on the ground are not only dangerous to animals, but they are also harmful to the environment and make the area look untidy. In addition, cigarette smoke makes the area less pleasant and exposes other people to passive smoking. Dog parks are comparable to other public areas where smoking is prohibited.
The dog park rules have now been updated to include a mention of the smoking ban. You can find the rules in all dog parks and on the city website. The dog park programme for 2023–2033(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish) is also available on the website.