Prato, Modena and Verona: these are the three Italian cities where the animals they have a better life. In fact, the three score the first, second and third best result among all 986 who provided data. For the health companies, among the 42 that provided data, the acknowledgment goes to the ATS della Montagna, the AUSL Toscana Centro and the ATS Brescia.
Problems to solve: territorial disparity and millions of ghost animals
To draw up the ranking of virtuous cities was Legambiente who awarded the National Prize “Pets in the City” on the basis of the services that the municipal administrations and local health authorities declare to offer to the citizens they own pets and, in general, for the best coexistence in the city with owner and wild animals: from policies against stray dogs to the services offered for a better coexistence with our four-legged friends. It is a complex work that crosses numerous parameters and indicators, and aims to highlight whether, and how, the entities responsible for regulating, managing and controlling have adapted to the cultural change which in the last 20 years has seen the quadruple of dogs and cats in Italian homes. In general, the picture that emerges from the research presents a series of positive aspects (increasing public expenditure, for example) but also many critical issues: territorial disparities, delays in sterilizations, millions of “ghost animals” and poor implementation of prevention regulations. In general, our country appears to be far behind in the challenge of guaranteeing animal welfare in the city, with economic, social and environmental consequences.
According to Legambiente, it is necessary to implement action on several fronts right away, “starting from the urgency of amandatory single national registry office for all species of pets or companions (currently mandatory only for dogs)”. The goal is to provide the necessary services to citizens and carry out checks, including in the health sector, to prevent critical issues, improve and make coexistence with beloved “pets” safe, overcoming the fragmentary nature of regional information, “especially in the light the announcement by the General Directorate of Animal Health of the Ministry of Health of its approval by 2023”.
Legambiente denounces: “There is still a lot to do in Italy”
“With the modification of article 9 of the Constitution, the protection of animals has become part of the constitutional principles of the State: an important step for the defense of their well-being but also for human health – he explained George Zampetti, director general of Legambiente -. In Italy though there is still much to do, starting from the activation of the single mandatory national registry for all animal species in which the information from the regional databases will be conveyed. We are waiting to know the text of the decree of the Minister of Health which should be adopted, by March 2023, in agreement with the Permanent Conference for relations between the State, the Regions and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano, to establish the technical and operational methods for the implementation of the Sinac (National Information System of Companion Animals) within the I&R (Identification & Registration) system of animals. I hope everything accelerates as soon as possible.”