https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed It’s a moment all pet owners dread but must eventually go through. Here’s what to do if your pet dies in Italy, the processes to follow, and what you can and can’t do with the remains. https://www.thelocal.it/20260414/what-to-do-when-your-pet-dies-in-italy Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:26:18 +0200 what-to-do-when-your-pet-dies-in-italy Since Brexit, changes to European Pet Passport access mean a different process for many dogs, cats and ferrets travelling between Italy and the UK. https://www.thelocal.it/20260331/pet-passports-the-post-brexit-travel-rules-for-trips-between-italy-and-the-uk Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:16:21 +0200 pet-passports-the-post-brexit-travel-rules-for-trips-between-italy-and-the-uk Dog owners visiting the northern Italian province of Bolzano could soon be charged a tax if they want to bring their pets with them, as local authorities seek to crack down on "uncivilised" behaviour. https://www.thelocal.it/20250926/italys-bolzano-proposes-introducing-tourist-tax-for-dogs Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:13:19 +0200 italys-bolzano-proposes-introducing-tourist-tax-for-dogs Each country has its own rules and cultural norms when it comes to pets. Here's what you need to know if you're planning on moving to Italy with your canine companion. https://www.thelocal.it/20230605/five-things-to-know-if-youre-moving-to-italy-with-your-dog Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:18:13 +0200 five-things-to-know-if-youre-moving-to-italy-with-your-dog A recent update to Italy's air transport rules for dogs has been widely heralded as a "pet travel revolution" – but is the policy change all it's cracked up to be? https://www.thelocal.it/20250520/fact-check-is-air-travel-in-italy-really-becoming-more-pet-friendly Tue, 20 May 2025 16:09:08 +0200 fact-check-is-air-travel-in-italy-really-becoming-more-pet-friendly Tenants in Italy enjoy strong legal protections and rights – but what do the country's rental laws say about keeping a furry friend? https://www.thelocal.it/20220322/explained-do-renters-in-italy-have-the-right-to-keep-pets Tue, 22 Mar 2022 13:21:22 +0100 explained-do-renters-in-italy-have-the-right-to-keep-pets There are a great number of cats and dogs in Italian shelters, and an urgent need for more people willing to adopt. Here's how people in Italy can give them a home. https://www.thelocal.it/20221206/how-to-adopt-a-pet-from-an-italian-animal-shelter Tue, 06 Dec 2022 18:01:31 +0100 how-to-adopt-a-pet-from-an-italian-animal-shelter Microchipping is required for all dogs in Italy, as well as for cats and ferrets kept as pets in certain circumstances. Here's what pet owners need to know. https://www.thelocal.it/20220531/what-you-need-to-know-about-microchipping-your-pet-in-italy Tue, 31 May 2022 12:15:56 +0200 what-you-need-to-know-about-microchipping-your-pet-in-italy The rules for travellers bringing pets from the UK into the EU will change in January but the decision to grant the UK 'listed status' means things won't be as complicated as they might have been. Here's what we know so far about the new rules. https://www.thelocal.it/20201214/update-new-rules-on-pet-travel-as-uk-granted-listed-status-by-eu Mon, 14 Dec 2020 10:16:16 +0100 update-new-rules-on-pet-travel-as-uk-granted-listed-status-by-eu Owners of one Italian restaurant have come up with a new way to manage the large number of customers bringing their dogs to dinner. https://www.thelocal.it/20190104/restaurant-in-vicenza-welcomes-dogs-if-they-pay-a-cover-charge Fri, 04 Jan 2019 13:08:45 +0100 restaurant-in-vicenza-welcomes-dogs-if-they-pay-a-cover-charge Tens of thousands of Italians have signed a petition calling for the release of a dog which was confiscated by police after neighbours complained it was barking too loudly. https://www.thelocal.it/20180403/150000-italians-call-for-release-of-dog-confiscated-for-barking-too-much Tue, 03 Apr 2018 14:37:57 +0200 150000-italians-call-for-release-of-dog-confiscated-for-barking-too-much An Italian woman has won her battle to be granted sick pay for days she took off to look after her poorly dog, in a first for the pet-loving country. https://www.thelocal.it/20171012/italian-granted-sick-pay-to-care-for-ill-dog Thu, 12 Oct 2017 10:23:40 +0200 italian-granted-sick-pay-to-care-for-ill-dog Dogs cannot be ring bearers in wedding ceremonies, according to the mayor of one Italian town, who said "marriage is an important, serious thing". https://www.thelocal.it/20170714/dogs-cant-be-ring-bearers-italian-mayor-tells-couple-wedding Fri, 14 Jul 2017 12:19:05 +0200 dogs-cant-be-ring-bearers-italian-mayor-tells-couple-wedding One of the simplest pleasures of an Italian summer is cooling off with a creamy gelato - and pets no longer need be deprived of the treat, thanks to what is probably Italy's first animal-friendly gelateria. https://www.thelocal.it/20170412/italian-gelateria-debuts-ice-cream-for-dogs Wed, 12 Apr 2017 18:02:49 +0200 italian-gelateria-debuts-ice-cream-for-dogs For 40 minutes before an earthquake struck central Italy in the early hours of last Wednesday, a pet dog, living with its family in Poggio Castellano, a hamlet near Amatrice, kept barking. https://www.thelocal.it/20160829/the-incredible-hero-dogs-of-italys-earthquake Mon, 29 Aug 2016 14:03:00 +0200 the-incredible-hero-dogs-of-italys-earthquake A man who poisoned his neighbour's dog by feeding it nuts every time it barked outside has been handed a one-year jail sentence - a much harsher punishment than the €8,000 fine requested by the prosecution. https://www.thelocal.it/20160407/italian-man-jailed-for-slow-murder-of-dog-using-nuts Thu, 07 Apr 2016 18:49:14 +0200 italian-man-jailed-for-slow-murder-of-dog-using-nuts Dog-lovers in Italy have launched a social media campaign to save Toby, a dog who was twice rejected and has heart problems. https://www.thelocal.it/20160211/community-rally-round-toby-the-dog-with-a-broken-heart Thu, 11 Feb 2016 14:58:45 +0100 community-rally-round-toby-the-dog-with-a-broken-heart Italy's flagship airline has been told to pay €1,580 in damages for not allowing a passenger's dog to travel on a national flight - even though the pooch had a ticket. https://www.thelocal.it/20160210/itays-alitalia-fined-for-not-allowing-dog-to-fly Wed, 10 Feb 2016 12:03:59 +0100 itays-alitalia-fined-for-not-allowing-dog-to-fly Representatives from the city council of Turin will meet on Monday to discuss plans to silence the traditional fireworks that make up the part of the city's San Giovanni feast day celebrations. https://www.thelocal.it/20160129/turin-mulls-silencing-traditional-feast-day-fireworks-over-pet-concerns Fri, 29 Jan 2016 15:44:51 +0100 turin-mulls-silencing-traditional-feast-day-fireworks-over-pet-concerns Mafia bosses are using tigers, crocodiles and a host of other exotic animals - including drug-dealing parrots - to cement their grip on power. But international crime-fighters rarely hear about the phenomenon, a Europol spokesman told The Local. https://www.thelocal.it/20141120/mafia-use-tigers-and-parrots-to-wield-power Thu, 20 Nov 2014 17:20:00 +0100 mafia-use-tigers-and-parrots-to-wield-power