Dogs grab headlines in Italy in recent days.
Dogs took their fair share of headlines in Italy this week, reflecting the animals’ growing role in Italian society, with news stories ranging from air travel and adoption to outrage over a “dog tax”.
The big story centred on Honey and Moka, the first large dogs in Italy to fly in the cabin instead of the hold, after the transport ministry loosened its travel rules with the approval of Italy’s civil aviation authority.
Moka, a Labrador, travelled in Business Class and slept during the ITA Airways flight from Milan to Rome.
Honey, a mixed-breed, travelled in Economy and was a little concerned on landing, however both animals travelled well on the inaugural flight.
Transport minister Matteo Salvini described the move as a “game changer for millions of passengers” while ITA Airways president Sandro Pappalardo hailed it as a “real cultural revolution that places respect, care, and inclusivity at its core”.
Dog adoption
On the same day as Honey and Moka took to the skies, Rome launched a major dog adoption scheme, involving three million milk cartons, in a bid to help shelter dogs find their forever home.
Milk bottles and cartons produced by Centrale del Latte di Roma feature a QR code offering information about the city’s kennels and stories about dogs seeking to be rehomed.
Rome mayor described the initiative as “a concrete example of how we can work together to promote animal welfare and act as a community”, adding that the milk carton campaign would take the message of dog adoption directly “into the homes of Romans”.
Over the last year Rome has started to host dog parades as part of efforts to give shelter dogs a day out, away from the kennels, with the ultimate goal of helping them find a new home.
Airport dog hotel
Despite opening before the summer, a luxury dog hotel at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport only made international headlines this week.
Dog Relais, the first of its kind ever built in an Italian airport, offers dogs a “unique and comfortable” stay while their owners travel.
The canine accommodation facility features individual lodges with indoor and outdoor spaces, providing dogs with air conditioning, automatic drinking troughs and piped music.
It also offers grooming and veterinary services and is equipped with video call facilities to let dog owners check in on their pets from afar.
Dog tax controversy
In contrast to the positive dog-related news stories, a proposed “dog tax” in Bolzano, in Italy’s northern Trentino-Alto Adige region, sparked outrage from dog-owners and animal rights groups.
Under the contentious proposal, Bolzano would charge visiting dog owners a daily tax of €1.50, and an annual €100 fee for resident dog owners.
The aim of the measure is to fund new dog parks and the cleaning of streets where dog owners fail to clean up after their pets.
The plan is included in a bill introduced by regional councillor Luis Walcher who described the proposal as “fair” because it would only affect dog owners instead of charging the entire community, however animal rights groups have slammed the idea as “short-sighted” and “pure madness”.
For those interested in adopting a dog from Rome’s municipal kennels, see our guide to the process.
Photo credit: muratart / Shutterstock.com.
