Italians are truly in love with their pets
THEItaly drive the European ranking due to the presence of pets like dogs cats and other species.
In our country there are 7 million dogs and 7,5 million cats
It is almost impossible to imagine our life without them. They provide us with companionship, love and joy, and we build deep bonds with them. We post their photos on social media, we look after them, we talk to each other, we consider them members of the family. We even go so far as to attribute emotions and thoughts to them, just as if they were people.
And instead we are talking about our pets. Objects and subjects of a love relationship that unites an increasing number of Italians.
60 million pets present in Italian homes
The most numerous tenants are fish, which are 30 million, and birds, 13 million in total. Figures that make us one of the first in Europe.
In addition, there are nearly 7 million dogs and 7.5 million cats in our homes. While other small mammals such as rabbits, ferrets and rodents are 1.8 million.
There are also reptiles, from the classic and rather common turtles to more “unusual” domestic animals such as snakes and iguanas, which reach 1.3 million specimens.
Italians are very attentive to the health aspect of pets
The costs related to pets are equally sensational.
We spend around 2 billion a year on dogs and cats. This is money destined not only for food, but also for games, leashes, kennels and clothes.
Although in our country veterinary care has one of the highest taxes in Europe, Italians are very attentive to the health aspect. Nine out of ten owners have a referral veterinarian. And 85% of Italians go there once or twice a year, especially women. But men are also on the rise.
The relationship with pets does not have to be one way!
In the last period, the attention towards vaccination treatments and prophylaxis has increased. A sign that we are becoming aware of the real needs of pets.
However, people are not always aware of the commitment involved in the decision to welcome a pet into the home.
It is still too often thought that affection and free time are enough. Instead, a great availability towards the animal is needed, which must be looked after in full compliance with its needs.
There are those who worry about how to perfume dogs, when it is more important to collect their needs on the street, avoiding the transmission of any parasites.
Together with the campaigns of sensitization against abandonment, owners should be educated to establish a conscious relationship to prevent animals from becoming, from a precious resource for adults and children, a multiplier of our frailties and an obstacle to their well-being.
