SHACKLE-FREE DOGS IN THE PIEDMONT REGION
KEY STAGES OF THE CAMPAIGN
In September 2021, Save the Dogs, Green Impact and Animal Law Italia launched an appeal in the Piedmont region, where there is no legal ban against dogs being permanently kept on a chain.
Just one month after the launch of this initiative, more than 5,000 letters have been signed and sent to the President’s office, requesting a review of the regional law which dates back to 1993!
In November, the Fondazione Cave Canem Onlus, a non-profit social enterprise run by women whose mission is to change the fate of cats and dogs in difficulty, also joined the ranks of the promoting associations.
SUBMISSION OF THE SIGNATURES
On 1 February 2022 a petition containing over 5,000 signatures calling for a change to the 1993 regulation which allows for the lifelong chaining of dogs in the Piedmont region was submitted to President Alberto Cirio. The delegation was composed of Sara Turetta, President of Save the Dogs, and Cristiana Cesarato, the legal representative who is responsible for Animal Law Italia in Turin, also acting on behalf of Green Impact and FONDAZIONE CAVE CANEM.
SHACKLE-FREE DOGS CAMPAIGN
In March 2021, Save the Dogs, Green Impact and Animal Law launched the #LiberidalleCatene (‘Shackle-free dogs’) campaign requesting the introduction of normative changes in the regulations of certain Italian regions regarding dogs living tethered to chains.
Based on the findings of the Green Impact Report, compiled in collaboration with Save the Dogs: “Moving towards a ban on chained dogs“, the regulations in this matter in many Italian regions are either outdated or formulated in such a vague and ineffective way that they compromise their applicability and make it impossible to protect the animals’ well-being. One such example is Campania, where a ban was introduced by regional law on 11 April 2019 but without specifying any sanctions, a fact that has rendered the measure totally ineffective.
The initial action of the campaign was to launch the first petition in June 2021, addressed to the governor of the Campania region and asking for the introduction of severe penalties for those who violate the ban.
In just a few weeks, more than 10,000 people signed the petition, which led to the extraordinary result of the introduction of fines of up to €2,000 for anyone infringing the law. The campaign was even more successful, however, as it encouraged other animal welfare associations to act in order to achieve major breakthroughs, such as in Lazio, where a specific ban was introduced in August 2021, the latest region to align itself with other victorious regions like Umbria, Campania and Marche.