Italy's Miav-Mutua launches campaign against animal abandonment

(Adnkronos) – The Miav‑Mutua Italiana Assistenza Veterinaria, under the slogan “Guardalo negli occhi. E ora abbandonalo, se ce la fai”, has started a nationwide campaign to curb the abandonment of pets. Recent estimates indicate that more than 130,000 animals – primarily dogs and cats – are left on the streets each summer in Italy, many dying within weeks from accidents, starvation, thirst, disease or abuse.

President Claudio La Rosa warned that “when an animal is left behind, we abandon a part of our humanity”. The organization issued a vademecum advising the public to contact municipal shelters, the emergency number 112, the Anas green line (800 841 148) or the local veterinary services for abandoned or injured animals, and to avoid handling them directly. Animal abandonment is a criminal offence in Italy, punishable by up to one year of imprisonment.