Lost Dogs

The enormous problem with abandoned dogs is widely publicized, including in advertisements on the bus each morning. Owners in Italy are required to micro-chip their pets to discourage abandonment. Many dogs are not abandoned but lost—and signs can be seen throughout the city. Usually, these include a photograph of the dog, a short story, contact information, and a plastic sheet cover to keep the paper dry. I have seen these on light posts, sides of buildings, in the entryway to pet shops and veterinarians’ offices, and, especially, near the dog parks in the Villa Borghese and the local dog park in Testaccio.

Here are two examples, one from the dog park in Testaccio (the pointer) and one from Via Appia Antica (the wire-haired dachshund):