The economic crisis softens shop keepers, who are now more available to let dogs into their shops. Compared to 5 years ago, the shops that allow dogs in have increased by 76%, according to a research carried out by the Italian association for the protection of animals and the environment on 3500 shops and 500 supermarkets in Italy.

Signs like “No dogs” have almost disappeared, and replaced with “I can’t go in”. In 2005 out of 3500 shops, dogs were not permitted in 2600 bars, supermarkets, clothes shops, but also furniture or stationery shops. Now the situation is better, in fact the shops that do not allow dogs in are only 694 and in most cases they are just bars, supermarket or fruit shops, while only 103 shops dealt with other types of products. Amongst the cities in which bans are still strong, there are Rome, Venice, Florence and surprisingly Rimini. 

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute