Thus, the Italian Ministry of Health has announced that only adult dogs can be used for “animal-assisted” wellness activities, including yoga.
At the same time, the ministry stated that it was informed by organizations that “directly contact dog breeders” to temporarily use puppies for yoga sessions.
Animal rights groups called for a ban after Italian media reports revealed alleged mistreatment of the puppies.
Piera Rosati, president of LNDC Animal Protection, stated that these puppies were exploited for commercial purposes.
“Yoga, at least in theory, should not only be a practice of physical exercises, but also a spiritual one, in search of harmony with the universe. But this harmony and well-being are not granted to puppies that are used as objects to do business”, said Piera Rosati.
Giusy DAngelo, a dog expert at Italy’s national animal welfare council, said people could become so overwhelmed by emotions after being around puppies that they risk making an impulsive decision to adopt one.
“It can lead them to make a decision without really considering the implications,” said Giusy DAngelo.
Puppy yoga, popular around the world
Dog yoga, also known as doga, has become increasingly popular around the world, with proponents saying the presence of the animals enhances the sense of calm that accompanies the exercise.
Puppies roam the studios and are there to give hugs rather than perform yoga moves.
“There are many reasons why people do puppy yoga. Some may simply want contact with an animal because they don’t have one at home, while there are others who suffer from illnesses and find that an hour of practice really helps them relax,” said Francesco Di Turi, manager at Puppy Yoga Official, which organizes puppy yoga in gyms and studios in Italy.
According to the company’s website, all its courses organized before the ban came into force on April 29, were sold out.
“This measure makes no sense. No one ever came to check what actually happens during a class. It will have an impact on many people – we have over 80 employees and since April 29 we have not worked. Trying to do this with adult dogs is much more complex,” continued Francesco Di Turi.
But not all yogis enjoy working with dogs. Amity Neumeister, who owns the Zem yoga studio in Rome, hosted the puppies for a session, after which she said: “It was too chaotic. We spent a lot of time running and cleaning up after them.”
PHOTO: Hepta
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