Once you arrive, the demands on dog and cat owners vary wildly. If you own a dog, you’ll need to pay the dog tax, or Hundesteuer, within a month. To do this, you have to go to the nearest tax office, or Finanzamt, fill out a simple form and pay €120. Each additional dog costs €180. The easiest way to find your Finanzamt is to visit www.berlin.de and search Finanzamt and the district you live in. You’ll receive a tax stamp, which has to be worn on your dog’s collar at all times. Each following year you’ll get a bill for the annual tax. You’re also required to have liability insurance covering any damage the dog may cause.

Dogs seem to be a living symbol of the lax attitude of Berlin’s justice department. The city has a mandatory leash law and owners are required to clean up after their pets, but dogs generally trot along free and everyone has to be careful where they step on the sidewalks. Canines are prohibited from the large, green sunbathing areas in parks (which are marked as Liegewiesen and have symbols clearly outlawing dogs, ball sports and barbecues) but they seem a popular area to also play fetch. If you own a dog, you don’t have to fear any consequences – the police and ordinance officers disagree on who’s responsible for enforcing the laws. The only sacred no-go areas for dogs are playgrounds.

If you own a cat, you don’t have to do anything. However, if your feline isn’t used to multi-storey apartment living, take some care. One of the most common ailments for a Berlin cat is falling three or four storeys from a balcony.