Dogs seize headlines in Italy in current days.
Dogs took their justifiable share of headlines in Italy this week, reflecting the animals’ rising function in Italian society, with information tales starting from air journey and adoption to outrage over a “canine tax”.
The huge story centred on Honey and Moka, the first giant canines in Italy to fly within the cabin as an alternative of the maintain, after the transport ministry loosened its journey guidelines with the approval of Italy’s civil aviation authority.
Moka, a Labrador, travelled in Business Class and slept in the course of the ITA Airways flight from Milan to Rome.
Honey, a mixed-breed, travelled in Economy and was a little bit involved on touchdown, nevertheless each animals travelled effectively on the inaugural flight.
Transport minister Matteo Salvini described the transfer as a “sport changer for hundreds of thousands of passengers” whereas ITA Airways president Sandro Pappalardo hailed it as a “actual cultural revolution that locations respect, care, and inclusivity at its core”.
Dog adoption
On the identical day as Honey and Moka took to the skies, Rome launched a serious canine adoption scheme, involving three million milk cartons, in a bid to assist shelter canines discover their without end dwelling.
Milk bottles and cartons produced by Centrale del Latte di Roma characteristic a QR code providing details about the town’s kennels and tales about canines looking for to be rehomed.
Rome mayor described the initiative as “a concrete instance of how we will work collectively to advertise animal welfare and act as a neighborhood”, including that the milk carton marketing campaign would take the message of canine adoption straight “into the houses of Romans”.
Over the final yr Rome has began to host canine parades as a part of efforts to offer shelter canines a time out, away from the kennels, with the final word objective of serving to them discover a new dwelling.
Airport canine lodge
Despite opening earlier than the summer season, a luxurious canine lodge at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport solely made worldwide headlines this week.
Dog Relais, the primary of its type ever inbuilt an Italian airport, presents canines a “distinctive and cozy” keep whereas their house owners journey.
The canine lodging facility options particular person lodges with indoor and out of doors areas, offering canines with air-con, computerized consuming troughs and piped music.
It additionally presents grooming and veterinary providers and is provided with video name amenities to let canine house owners verify in on their pets from afar.
Dog tax controversy
In distinction to the constructive dog-related information tales, a proposed “canine tax” in Bolzano, in Italy’s northern Trentino-Alto Adige area, sparked outrage from dog-owners and animal rights teams.
Under the contentious proposal, Bolzano would cost visiting canine house owners a day by day tax of €1.50, and an annual €100 price for resident canine house owners.
The intention of the measure is to fund new canine parks and the cleansing of streets the place canine house owners fail to wash up after their pets.
The plan is included in a invoice launched by regional councillor Luis Walcher who described the proposal as “truthful” as a result of it could solely have an effect on canine house owners as an alternative of charging your entire neighborhood, nevertheless animal rights teams have slammed the concept as “short-sighted” and “pure insanity”.
For these taken with adopting a canine from Rome’s municipal kennels, see our information to the method.
Photo credit score: muratart / Shutterstock.com.
