With the arrival of summer, the issue of pet abandonment returns to the forefront in Italy. According to the most recent figures, about 135,000 dogs and cats are abandoned in Italy each year, leaving them alone on roads, highways, in the countryside, and in cities. The effects are typically tragic: many animals die within the first few weeks due to malnutrition, sickness, road accidents, or animal abuse. However, the data also reflects a different reality. According to the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), around four in ten Italian families—nearly ten million households—have at least one pet.