MILAN — While Milan, Italy, is known for food and fashion, the Italian city has earned recognition as one of the world's most pet-friendly destinations.
The streets, metro system and public spaces throughout Milan showcase well-behaved dogs accompanying their owners everywhere they go.
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"This is Balu. He's a good boy. A very good boy," said Yannick, a local dog owner.
Yannick explained that Italy's dog-friendly culture extends beyond Milan to the entire country.
"I have to say Italy is generally a very dog-friendly country," he said. "There are a lot of green areas where I think that's a great factor driving a dog-friendly city."
Milan offers more than 400 parks and green spaces that welcome dogs. Most dogs ride public transportation free of charge and are welcomed into cafes, restaurants and retail stores. Hundreds of hotels and rental properties encourage guests to bring their pets.
The city's appeal to dog lovers reflects broader demographic trends.
"It's full of young people, and I think it's too hard to have children at this time, so many people are more comfortable maybe having a dog," one resident said.
Milan's commitment to animal welfare extends beyond cultural acceptance to legal protections. Within the past year, the city strengthened animal cruelty laws that can result in four years in prison and substantial fines.
Milan's laws also classify dogs as sentient beings similar to family members, unlike many other countries, where laws treat them as property.
Other Italian cities have implemented local laws requiring dog walking multiple times per day, with fines for non-compliance.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
