Latina mayor bans leaving pets in cars and on hot pavement during heatwave

Mayor Matilde Celentano of Latina signed an emergency ordinance that takes effect immediately and runs until 30 September. The measure prohibits owners from leaving dogs or cats in vehicles, on hot asphalt, or in outdoor spaces without permanent shade and ventilation between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. It requires continuous access to fresh water and bans confinement in cars even for short periods, aiming to prevent dehydration, heatstroke and death amid an extreme heatwave and high humidity.

The ordinance expands on the city’s 2020 animal‑welfare regulation, updated in February 2026 with the creation of a dedicated animal‑rights guarantor. Celentano emphasized that “protecting their health is a civil and moral duty of the whole community.”