Bringing dogs to work: In Verona, this is becoming a reality for municipal employees. Starting November 1, 2026, a pet policy will allow employees of Palazzo Barbieri to share their workday with their four-legged companions.
The council approved this after a trial period that began in 2023 at the Civic Museums and the Natural History Museum, which was well-received by both employees and visitors.
The rules are quite specific. Dogs will be allowed in individual offices and shared workspaces, but only if all colleagues have given their formal consent. Areas with direct and continuous contact with the public, meeting rooms, classrooms, laboratories, restrooms, and break areas are excluded. Dogs must be at least three months old, registered with the animal registry, have a microchip, a health record, up-to-date vaccinations, and parasite treatments, as well as insurance coverage for damages to third parties. The leash must not exceed 150 centimeters, and dogs weighing over 25 kilograms require a behavioral assessment, which is the responsibility of the owner.
Councilor Giuseppe Rea, responsible for animal welfare, emphasizes the psychological benefits for employees and for relationships between colleagues. He also notes that for some dogs, being near their owner is better than being alone at home for many hours.
However, another important point is this: every dog is different. An office environment is full of noises, phone calls, constant movement, and unfamiliar people, and not all dogs can cope with this environment calmly. Furthermore, the coexistence of multiple dogs is not always guaranteed. Moreover, weight does not necessarily indicate emotional stability: even a small dog can show stress through excessive barking, growling, or restlessness. An individual assessment, regardless of size, would perhaps be more appropriate.
In short, it's a great initiative, but the crucial question should always be: is my dog comfortable in this environment?
As a proud dog owner, I always follow surveys like this with great interest, and the new Pet Study 2024/2025 gave me quite a bit to think about. First, the headline finding: 96 percent of respondents say their pet improves their mental and physical well-being. I can only confirm that from my own experience — my dog is far more than a pet to me, he's family.
What I found interesting is that 83 percent see their animals as individual personalities. That's exactly why I now pay much closer attention to what I feed him. Nearly half of owners would be open to alternative protein sources such as insect protein, especially if the price is right. When shopping, though, price remains the most important criterion for many.
What worries me: only 72 percent now consider their pet healthy, down from 80 percent in 2020. Rising vet costs weigh heavily on more than two thirds of owners, and many are setting aside extra savings. At the same time, 47 percent would like digital solutions such as a health app for their pet.
In the end, the study shows one thing above all: our animals support us emotionally, but we face new challenges — from costs to sustainability. I hope the industry takes these findings seriously.
Agria and the Swedish Kennel Club have released a new pet survey, and the numbers are fun to browse for anyone who loves animals. The survey was carried out by Novus and is based on responses from 10,284 dog and cat owners aged 18 to 89. The last one was in 2024.
The headline is that the share of Swedish households with a dog or cat rose by just over one percentage point. Now 31 percent of households, or just over one in three, have at least one pet.
Dogs are increasing. The population grew by 2.7 percent to 951,000, and 15 percent of households have a dog. The rise is strongest in Stockholm, eastern central Sweden, Småland and southern Sweden. Interestingly, 741,000 dogs live in households with at least one adult and no children, which the press release reads as a sign of changing lifestyles.
Cats, on the other hand, have dropped 3.5 percent since 2024, to an estimated 1,582,000. Still, the cat is clearly Sweden's most popular pet: 20 percent of households have at least one. They are especially popular with families, where 30 percent of households with children under 15 have a cat.
Monica Tuvelid, Agria's country manager in Sweden, calls the rise in dogs the good news of the year, and notes that cats still come out on top, not least among families with children. Personally, I find most interesting how closely pets follow the way we live. As more people live without children at home, more seem to choose a dog to share everyday life with.
I read an article by the editor of Bezprawnik about how much it costs to treat a dog, and I want to share the key numbers, because every pet owner should know them.
The author, who has one dog and two cats, describes several cases. Removing tartar from a neglected dog they adopted cost about 200 zloty at a human dentist in 2022 (without anesthesia), and a year later at a vet it was 400 to 500 zloty. Meanwhile, a treat that cost about 10 zloty upset the dog's stomach, and it ended in an emergency Sunday visit with X-rays and an anti-vomiting injection: about 700 zloty, of which 300 zloty was a surcharge for working on a day off. The author did not buy insurance, because they did not know the dog's full history, and the exclusions in the general terms put them off.
The article also gives rough 2026 prices for dogs. Stomach torsion is usually up to 5,000 zloty. A torn cruciate ligament is about 2,000 to 6,000 zloty. A broken leg ranges from 1,000 to 6,000 zloty, depending on whether a cast is enough or plates and screws are needed. Chemotherapy is up to 2,000 zloty per session, an X-ray or ultrasound up to 400 zloty, tartar removal up to 500 zloty, neutering 300 to 1,000 zloty, and a day in hospital up to 400 zloty.
The author notes that prices depend on the city, the clinic's reputation and the size of the dog, since a bigger dog needs more medicine and dressings. They also point out that blood tests for a dog or cat can cost many times more than for a person, and that animals have no public health system.
For me, the conclusion is simple: set aside a financial cushion for your pet, and read the insurance terms carefully before you buy it or turn it down.
Many people treat cat vomiting as a normal part of feline life, even as material for funny videos. I read a CNN Brasil article that explains why this idea can get in the way, so I want to summarize it here.
The article points out that this view can delay the diagnosis of serious problems. A real hairball (trichobezoar) is a dark, cylindrical mass of compacted hair, and it is rarely expelled, except in long-haired cats or cats with stomach problems. Vomiting food, bile, or just a few loose strands is a different story. Photos or videos of what the cat brought up help the vet a lot.
One point I found interesting: veterinarian Bruna Oliveira, of Med. Felina, explains that what owners take for vomiting is sometimes coughing, one of the symptoms of feline asthma. A cat may cough dry or with discharge, and the owner only notices the cat swallowing mucus. Her advice is direct: if a cat coughs, investigate, because the sooner it is treated, the better the quality of life.
The article also separates vomiting from regurgitation. According to feline specialist Paty Bastos, regurgitation is passive, with no visible effort, and the food comes back in its original shape without bile. Vomiting usually comes after lip-licking, restlessness, and excessive drooling, together with abdominal contractions. Regurgitating often is not normal, and eating more slowly, in smaller portions, can help.
And when should you worry? If a sick cat vomits several times in a short period, treating the underlying disease may resolve it. But vomiting several days a week for several weeks calls for investigation, even if the cat seems well and the owner is already used to it. The lesson I take from this is: getting used to something does not make it normal.
I read a report on Al Jazeera Net about the Omani spiny-tailed lizard, a reptile that has become highly sought after in the exotic pet trade. It contains things everyone thinking about buying a rare animal should know.
The report starts with background. A few months ago, Omani police foiled an attempt to smuggle the lizard out through Muscat International Airport. In 2012, a traveler arriving from Oman was caught at Munich airport with dozens of them. The author tracked recent sale ads priced between 700 and 1,000 euros per animal: 999 euros in Germany, 700 in Austria, 800 in France and 1,000 in Greece.
The lizard lives only in limited coastal and desert areas of Oman. It is endemic, digs burrows in the soil and spends much of its life in them. Scientists long lacked enough information about it. German herpetologist Thomas Wilms estimated in a 2002 study that the number of specimens known to science before research began in 1998 did not exceed thirty. A scientific breeding program then started, and the first successful captive breeding was documented. Enthusiasts see this as the start of the market.
The most striking part is the question of "source laundering". Dr. Omar al-Sheikhly of the University of Baghdad believes that successful captive breeding can be exploited as a cover for smuggling wild animals disguised as captive-bred. The report "Stolen Wildlife 2" from the organization Pro Wildlife pointed to a gap between the exports Oman declared and larger numbers appearing in other countries' records as captive-bred: 182 in the United States, 130 in Switzerland and 120 in the Netherlands.
Oman's Environment Authority, in its 2025 annual report, describes the lizard as an ecologically important species and a vital indicator of the health of arid ecosystems. My takeaway is simple: scarcity raises the price, and a higher price raises the danger to the animal in the wild. So before buying any exotic animal, we should ask where it came from.
While reading a long piece from Zooinform about the age of our pets, a few numbers caught my attention. According to the article, roughly one in four pets in Russia is older than seven. Seven years is a conventional threshold for statistics and product planning, not the exact moment old age begins: large dogs age sooner, small dogs later and live longer. Pets in general live longer now thanks to better nutrition, accessible veterinary care, preventive checkups, and vaccination.
The article also cites a 2023 census by the Center for the Study of Animal Nutrition and Well-being together with IPSOS: Russia has 49.2 million cats and 25.5 million dogs, and 23% of cats and 25% of dogs are older than seven.
On diet, the author writes that there is no universal “senior diet.” Dogs in early aging lose activity and gain weight easily, and extra weight worsens pain and inflammation in the joints, so lower-calorie rations are often needed. In late stages, the opposite can happen: weight and muscle loss, a weaker sense of smell, and a need for more aromatic, energy-dense food. In cats, chronic kidney disease comes to the fore, so regular checkups and monitoring are essential. One interesting detail: in a Royal Canin study, older cats (average age 11) preferred wet food warmed to about 37 °C, probably because the smell was stronger.
On supplements, the text is honest: omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are the best studied, evidence for many other products is insufficient, and they do not replace diagnosis and treatment. Practical home tips include ramps and steps, orthopedic beds, non-slip mats, and bowl stands.
In the Q&A at the end, healthy young pets usually need just one vet visit a year, while older pets often should go about every six months. Walks should be shorter but more frequent. For me, this piece was a reminder that a pet’s old age is not an illness, but a period you can prepare for in advance.
An article published in Posta gives some interesting figures on the everyday budgets of pet owners. I wanted to share them with you.
According to the article, Turkey's pet industry has reached about 70 billion lira. Globally, the sector was worth about 250 billion dollars in 2025, and the pet food market alone about 30 billion dollars. In Turkey, more than half of sales come from food, and cat and dog food together make up over 60% of the total. About 70% of households that keep pets have at least one cat.
Eren Üçüncü, General Manager of Anadolu Pet Group, says the sector has grown by double digits in recent years, and he expects premium and super-premium food to grow faster than the overall market. His reasoning is that consumers now look closely at ingredient quality, protein sources and production reliability. Urbanization, the rise in single-person households, lifestyle changes after the pandemic, and the view of animals as members of the family are cited as drivers of growth. Small dog breeds are also popular because they suit apartment living.
The monthly cost estimates are also striking. Food for an adult cat ranges from 500 to 2,000 lira, or 2,500 to 4,500 lira in the premium segment. For a small dog it is 500 to 2,500 lira, and for a large breed it starts at 1,000 lira and can exceed 5,000 lira. The actual amount depends on the type of food, the animal's age and weight, and any special dietary needs.
The article also mentions Effeffe Pet Türkiye, a joint venture of Anadolu Pet Group and the Italian company Effeffe, founded in 2016. Its plant in Salihli, Manisa, has an annual capacity of 50,000 tons, exports to more than 40 countries, and aims to raise exports from 25% to 50% of turnover.
What stays with me is this: when you bring home an adorable cat, you also take on a regular, planned expense.
If you keep a dog or a cat, this news from the Ministry of Agriculture is worth your attention. On Tuesday, 6 October 2026, the ministry held a focus group discussion (FGD) in Jakarta to draft guidelines for applying animal welfare to dog and cat breeding businesses.
I Ketut Wirata, Director of Veterinary Public Health at the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health, explained the reason: demand for dogs and cats as pets keeps rising, and breeding is now done not only by businesses but also by communities and individuals. The ministry wants this growth to follow the principles of animal health and welfare.
According to Wirata, responsible breeding must take into account the condition of the mother, the health of the offspring, basic needs, nutrition and natural behavior. The risks highlighted include overusing breeding females, improper reproductive management, inadequate facilities, and inbreeding that is not managed well, since it raises the risk of genetic problems in the offspring. The ministry also stressed the need to prevent mass breeding that neglects welfare, where space, sanitation, nutrition, health care and opportunities for natural behavior are easily overlooked.
The legal basis is Agriculture Minister Regulation No. 32 of 2025 on the Implementation of Animal Welfare and Agriculture Minister Regulation No. 34 of 2025 on Risk-Based Business Licensing in the Agriculture Sector. The technical guidelines being drafted are expected to cover good breeding practices, identification of health risks, animal welfare and zoonoses, and guidance and supervision. Wirata also asked FGD participants to give detailed input from field experience so the guidelines stay realistic.
I see this as an encouraging step. If you plan to buy a puppy or a kitten, it is worth asking first how the mother is cared for.
I read an article in Thanh Niên about ticks and fleas on pets, and I wanted to pass it on, because many people still think this is only a problem for dogs and cats.
According to the article, a veterinary hospital in Hue keeps receiving cases of blood parasites transmitted by ticks and fleas. Dr Trần Công Bằng, Director of MB Vet Hospital Hue, said that in just two weeks the hospital had received and treated more than 30 dogs with the disease, and he called the situation alarming. Ticks transmit the blood parasites Babesia and Ehrlichia, causing dogs to run high fevers, bleed from the nose, pass blood in their urine, and die if they are not treated in time. Many dogs died after being brought in, because their owners had been complacent.
The risk to people matters just as much. A tick that drops to the floor can crawl onto a bed and bite a person, possibly causing spotted fever or Lyme disease. In children, roundworms from dogs and cats (Toxocara) can cause long-lasting itchy skin, hives, coughing, blurred vision and even convulsions. Hookworms can enter through the skin of bare feet on ground contaminated with animal feces, and dog tapeworm (Echinococcus) can form cysts in the liver and lungs, which usually require surgery.
Dr Bằng gives some specific advice: deworm regularly (puppies and kittens every two weeks until three months old, then monthly until six months, and adult dogs every three months), do not feed raw meat, do not let pets roam where animal droppings are, wash hands with soap after playing with pets, clean up feces every day and disinfect the floor. Do not let pets lick your face or sleep in your bed until ticks and worms have been fully controlled. If a child has itchy skin or hives that keep coming back after contact with a pet, they should be tested.
To me, the article makes a simple point: looking after your pet properly is also looking after the health of the whole family.
If you have a dog or a cat, you know a visit to the vet can really hit the wallet. Keuze.nl has put the 2026 figures together, and I want to share them here.
A regular consultation costs a dog roughly €33 to €86 and a cat €33 to €60. An evening or night emergency consultation runs from €105 to €560 for a dog and €100 to €220 for a cat. A simple operation costs a dog €500 to €1,500, and a sterilization €389 to €525. Cancer treatment quickly reaches €1,500 to €3,000. Prices vary a lot from practice to practice. Veterinary care also falls under the high 21 percent VAT rate, and fees have risen in recent years up to three times as fast as inflation.
The cabinet wants to tackle high costs. State Secretary Erkens wants rules to limit vets' profits, more transparency about fees, better emergency care, and a solution for staff shortages. Maximum fees are not coming for now, so owners will see little change in the short term.
What can you do yourself right now? The article names three things: check whether your vet belongs to a chain and ask for a price list, ask for a written cost estimate in advance, and consider pet insurance that can reimburse up to 90 percent of costs. According to the piece, basic insurance for a dog starts at around €15 a month, and for a cat at €9. Check whether hereditary or congenital conditions are covered, because not every insurer covers them. For breeds with known breathing problems, such as the French bulldog, insurance can pay for itself sooner. If you cannot afford treatment, Stichting Sterk voor Dieren sometimes offers financial help.
I find this a useful overview: it is better to build a buffer in advance than to do the sums in the middle of the night.
For World Animal Day, la Repubblica revisited Eurispes data on Italians and their pets. What struck me most was the contrast: the affection is growing, and so is the bill.
In 2026, roughly one in three Italians lives with at least one animal. Dogs are back ahead of cats (41% vs. 37.1%), after the two were tied in 2025. What has really changed, though, is spending. In 2015 almost half spent less than 30 euros a month. Today that group is down to 16%, most people spend between 31 and 100 euros, and over a quarter spend more than 100. More than half spend over 50 euros on food alone.
There's a positive side too, in my view: the way people adopt is changing. In 2017 pet shops were the channel people mentioned most. Today almost 40% of animals come from the street or from a shelter. 23% of people who already have a pet haven't taken in another one because of the cost, and 11.4% of those without a pet have had to give up on getting one altogether.
Reading it, I thought of my friends who talk about pet insurance, about leaving an inheritance to their dog, about low-cost public vet care. Loving an animal shouldn't become a privilege. The numbers show the bond is stronger than ever, and that we need policies that lower the cost of care, not just good intentions.
