Dog owners in a major Italian port city will be forced to clean up their animals' urine in public spaces or face fines of up to 500 euros, The Guardian reports.
The measure was introduced by Luca Salvetti, the mayor of Livorno, a town on the Tuscan coast with a population of around 160,000. He says the measure was taken following complaints from residents about the smell of dog urine, particularly in parks and children's play areas.
Dog owners will be required to carry water bottles and sprayers to clean pavements, benches and even the wheels of parked cars and scooters.
Animals are prohibited from urinating near doors and windows, especially at entrances to shops, offices and homes.
The authorities invoke the “decency” of behavior in public space
The council led by Salvetti said in a statement introducing the measure: “Public spaces are community assets that must be protected to ensure the decency, hygiene and quality of urban life.”
The council stated that it responds in this way to “numerous notifications from residents who highlight the discomfort caused by unpleasant odors and health and hygiene problems generated by the presence of liquid waste of animal origin in spaces intended for the socialization of adults and children”.
He also emphasized that the measure is all the more necessary in the context of the significant increase in the number of pets, especially dogs.
All dog walkers are liable to be fined
The measure will apply to anyone walking a dog, whether the owner or someone who cares for the animal. It will be in effect between May 20 and October 31, the period considered the most critical due to higher temperatures and less rainfall.
Those proven to have broken the rules risk fines between 25 and 500 euros.
Similar rules are already in place in Livorno regarding dog droppings, with dog walkers required to wear equipment to collect excrement. They may be subject to unannounced checks by public authorities to check that they are properly equipped.
Last September, authorities in Bolzano sparked controversy among animal rights groups after they proposed a dog tax of €1.50 a night for animals visiting the northern Italian province and €100 a year for each dog owned by residents.
The authorities argued that the proceeds would be used to clean the streets of dog waste.
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