Italy faces crisis as 14,000 dogs risk lifelong shelter stays

A report by Legambiente titled ‘Animals in the City’ reveals that approximately 14,000 dogs in Italy are at risk of spending their entire lives in shelters. Data from 221 mapped municipalities shows that in 2025, over 20% of dogs entering shelters were neither adopted, returned to owners, nor taken in by local communities.

Key drivers for the increasing shelter populations include uncontrolled home litters, the growing online pet market, lack of registration in animal registries, and insufficient basic training for pet owners. The report highlights the high economic burden of this issue, noting that maintaining a dog in a shelter can cost between 1,300 and 2,550 euros annually. In contrast, preventive owner training is estimated to cost significantly less, between 100 and 250 euros.