Roundup: Long-term factors combining to make life easier for Italian dogs

Dog days are looking better and better in Italy, where commentators say the country's ongoing economic slowdown and a shift in demographics are combining to make life a little friendlier for canines.

A recent survey commissioned by Royal Canin pet food makers shows that nearly half of the country's dog owners always or almost always take their pet on vacation with them, and more than three out of four Italians surveyed say they are in favor of pet owners bringing their dogs with them on holiday. The survey was from the Squadrati polling company.

Holiday facilitators are taking note of the trend: the web site VacanzeBestiali lists more than 20,000 accommodations in Italy where pets are welcome. The number of dog friendly beaches and restaurants are also on the rise.

Another survey shows that the number of abandoned pets is dropping dramatically. The summer holidays are usually the period when the most dogs are abandoned. But in the first ten days of August, AIDA&A, the Italian Association for the Defense of Animals & Environment reported that 604 domestic pets were found abandoned in all of Italy, almost a third lower than the 902 found in the same period last year.

The increased use of microchips in pets in recent years has helped slash the number of abandoned pets, since that makes it easier for authorities to track down the pets owners. Owners found abandoning their pets can be fined, and in extreme cases, could even face jail time, according to Italian law.

But commentators point to other trends that are contributing to the improving lot for dogs: economics and demographics.

On the economic side, Italy's slow growing economy has forced many cash-strapped Italians to cut back on vacation plans. That means fewer trips beyond Italy's borders, which makes it easier to include a family pet. Additionally, according to Marco Baggio, a regional kennel association director, it can be much cheaper to take a dog on vacation than to use a kennel or professional dog sitter.

"We have seen numbers drop, as many regular customers are staying closer to home and taking their pets with them," Baggio told Xinhua. "When they cannot do that, they are turning to friends to watch the pet while they're away."

The Squadrati poll confirmed that, with nearly two-thirds of pet owners who do not travel with their pets leaving them with friends or family members. The number was around 40 percent ten years ago.

But a long-term factor may include the makeup of the Italian family, according to University of Milan sociologist Anna Maria Napolitano.

She said the country's declining birthrate has had a "profound" influence on the Italian family, with many Italians turning to pet adoption as an easy way to fill the void left from having fewer children.

The number of live births in Italy each year is declining by between 2,000 and 5,000 compared to the previous year. In 2014, there were 509,000 live births, down from just under 514,000 in 2013.

"A couple with one child may get a pet to help keep the child company," Napolitano said in an interview. "A couple with no children at all may also adopt a pet as the beneficiary of parental instincts." Endit