Brindisi, social campaign against the abandonment of animals

Brindisi, campaign against the abandonment of pets.

Summer is a black season for pets. Estimates of abandonment in the summer months reveal merciless numbers: on average 80.000 cats and 50.000 dogs abandoned. Without forgetting that more than 80% of these risk dying in accidents, hardship or due to mistreatment.

The Municipality of Brindisi returns to promote the awareness campaign "If you leave me it's not worth it", reminding citizens of article 727 of the Penal Code (paragraph 1): "Whoever abandons domestic animals or animals that have acquired habits of captivity is punished with imprisonment for up to one year or with a fine of 1.000 to 10 thousand euros".

Last summer there was also an increase in the abandonment of other pets, such as rabbits and turtles. And this phenomenon coincided once again with the summer holiday period, therefore in the months between May and September 2021.

According to the Coop 2020 report, during the pandemic, 3,5 million Italians took a pet with them. So, if on the one hand in recent years there has been an ever-increasing number of people who take a pet into their home, on the other hand cases of abandonment have also increased.

And as regards abandonments in the summer period, the main reasons are always the same, namely the inability of the owners to manage their pet when they are away from home for the holidays.

The appeal of the municipality of Brindisi is addressed to all citizens: take a photo with your four-legged friend and publish it on social media with the hashtags #semilascinonvale #comunedibrindisi.