For Florentines, Fido and Micio are more than pets. They are, in all respects, members of the family. This is revealed by a study by Changes Unipol developed by Ipsos, where 83% of the sample declared that they consider them part of the family unit. And more than half of Florentines have one at home: 59%, with cats prevailing over dogs. 35% of residents in the shadow of the Dome cohabit with at least one feline, with a national average of 35%. And 27% with at least one dog, and here Florence is the last of the large Italian cities, despite being the one with the most dog areas. Then there is a significant share that does not have pets, but would like one: 17%.
Why so much love for animals in the Medici land? For 45%, they keep people company, for 43% they are a source of joy and for 39% they also improve mental health. For 19% they instill a sense of responsibility and are useful in educating children and again for 19% they are a support for disabled or sick people. In total, 86% of the sample states that owning a pet has positive aspects. But 73% declare that there are also some negative aspects: with the arrival of summer, the biggest concern, for 31%, is custody. 55% solve the problem by managing to take it with them, but 42% declare that they have a lot of difficulty finding pet-friendly accommodation. Classically in comedy, Florentines are also clumsy, and animals are no exception: 17% have caused damage to things or people, the highest figure among Italian cities. 25% then consider the costs too onerous.
Of course, their maintenance has a considerable cost: 54 euros per month, plus an average of 149 euros per year for veterinary expenses. But Florentines are lucky, because their expenditure is among the lowest in Italy, at 65 euros per month for maintenance and 170 per year for the vet. For the latter, Florence has the best figure overall, even though 10% of unlucky Florentines spend more than 300 euros. 20% are scared of the pain they will feel when the animal dies. Among those who have a dog, 15% believe it is burdensome to have to go out in any weather condition.
Charles Casini
