La Russa says "the time has come" to welcome pets in the senate.

Italy's senators could soon be permitted to bring their pets with them to work at Palazzo Madama in Rome, senate leader Ignazio La Russa said on Friday.

Announcing the initiative on World Animal Day, La Russa said: "I believe that the time has come to authorise, with due consideration, senators to bring their pets into the senate".

"Certainly not in the chamber, certainly not in the refreshment area, but in other areas of the senate", clarified La Russa, who owns a German Shepherd dog called Sciara.

La Russa, the co-founder of premier Giorgia Meloni's rightwing Fratelli d'Italia (FdI), unveiled the "good news" at an FdI event in Sicily.

History of proposal

The idea was first launched by Michela Vittoria Brambilla, then deputy with the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) and now president of the parliamentary intergroup for animal rights and environmental protection which was established in 2018.

Brambilla was the first to bring her dog Sogno into parliament buildings in 2016 to support the proposal to include the protection of animals in the constitution.

The campaign to allow pets into parliament has been continued by Micaela Biancofiore, group leader of the centre-right Noi Moderati in the senate, whose draft plans were welcomed with "maximum respect" by La Russa last year.

Under the proposals presented by Biancofiore, cats and dogs would be permitted in the offices of parliamentarians, not the chamber, and would have a designated entrance.

Mixed reaction

"Finally the reforms we've been waiting for! Italy is safe", mocked Carlo Calenda, leader of the centrist Azione, on social media.

"No, I would never bring my dog to the senate" - joked FI group leader Maurizio Gasparri - "because he would feel uncomfortable in front of some donkeys. Better to avoid disappointment".

"They should think about not killing animals in the forests" - Angelo Bonelli, an MP for the  opposition Green Europe party, stated - "instead of proposing these things".

Photo Ignazio La Russa - Facebook