Of all the signs in Berlin prohibiting certain activities, only one has a remotely apologetic tone, and that is the ‘no dogs allowed’ notice. There is no doubt that Berlin is a pet-friendly city – in summer it’s hard to find a park that doesn’t have someone with a parrot on their shoulder or a ferret in their lap.

Dogs seem to be everywhere and are allowed in cafes, shops, restaurants and bars. They’re prohibited in food stores and butchers, where you’ll find a small sign bearing a dog and the words wir müssen leider draussen warten, ‘unfortunately, we have to wait outside’. Also on the unfortunate side: a short walk will expose you to hundreds of tiny and not-so-tiny piles of dog excrement, known locally as Hundescheisse.

Cats are statistically the Haustier, or pet of choice, but they’re a rare sight on the urban streets. Make sure any pets or planned pets are included in your lease or you could find yourself homeless.

There are several animal shelters in town and at least one is on the list of the city’s architectural wonders, which sounds great until you discover that list also includes a crematorium. Ultimately, there are few restrictions on the kinds of pets you can keep, whether it’s a mammal, reptile or insect.