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The Italian Ministry of Health has banned puppy yoga classes, saying only adult dogs should take part, to protect the health of the animals as well as the safety of visitors, on Thursday, the 2nd of May, reports the British broadcaster BBC.
Puppies in puppy yoga classes usually run freely around the yoga room and are sometimes involved in yoga poses or playtime with the puppies after the yoga session.
As the aim of puppy yoga is to “improve well-being”, it is considered a form of “animal assisted therapy” which, under Italian law, can only be performed by adult animals, but in a note issued on the 29th of April, the Ministry stated that it was aware that yoga organisers often “borrow” puppies from breeders.
The ministry has asked regional authorities to carry out checks to ensure that puppy yoga classes are not taking place.
The Italian National Council for the Protection of Animals welcomed the decision in a statement, quoting dog expert Giusy D’Angelo as saying that puppy yoga is a “physically and mentally stressful experience” for animals.
She added that participants risk letting themselves be carried away by emotions that can lead to the adoption of animals, making “a decision without really thinking through its implications and consequences”.
She also warned that puppies used in yoga classes are often not transported safely, adding that these classes only bring financial benefits to the organisers.
Last July, the UK’s Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) also called for alternatives to puppy yoga as “there is nothing in this environment that we would consider beneficial… for these animals”, although the yoga
organisers claim that the puppies enjoy the social aspect of the classes.
Puppy yoga classes are popular throughout Europe and the US. Other variations include kitten yoga, rabbit yoga and in some cases even goat yoga.
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