Italian museums are now offering free dog-sitting services to visitors, allowing them to explore art and history without leaving their furry friends behind. From February, four major cultural sites in Rome will provide trained minders to care for dogs while owners enjoy the galleries.
Italian Museums Test Free Dog-Sitting Services for Visitors’ Four-Legged Friends
A dog taking in the art in the United States pavilion during the pre-opening of the 2024 Venice Biennale. Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images.
Four major cultural sites in Rome, including the MAXXI, the Museum of the Ara Pacis, and Castel Sant’Angelo, have begun offering dog-sitting services to visitors. The service, provided by London-based startup Bauadvisor, allows owners to leave their dogs with trained minders while they explore the galleries freely.
The free service is a test run for the company’s paid version, which operates at 290 museums in 53 cities across Italy and costs €10 per hour. Owners must book the service online beforehand and can visit museums around Italy without worrying about leaving their dogs behind.
Bauadvisor aims to support and enhance the historical and cultural heritage of Italy by providing a unique experience for dog owners. The company’s CEO, Dino Gasperini, stated that the initiative is a significant step toward improving pets’ wellbeing and allowing them to enjoy culture without being separated from their pets for long.
The service has gained traction in other countries, such as France, where PatchGuard provides doggy day care in some of the country’s biggest cities. In May, Mars Petcare and TripAdvisor partnered to highlight tourist attractions, restaurants, and hotels that are dog-friendly.
According to research, around one third of pet owners in the US changed their travel plans due to the difficulty of travelling with their furry friends. With Bauadvisor’s free dog-sitting service, Italian museums are offering a solution to this common conundrum, making it easier for dog owners to visit cultural sites without having to make an impossible choice between their pets and their passions.
The service will be available at four museums in Venice, including the Guggenheim Collection, in February, before traveling to Bologna in March. Owners must book the service online beforehand, and trained minders will meet them outside the museum to take care of their dogs during their visit. The free service is a one-day promotional offer that will take place every month for 15 months, with each location being different.
By providing dog-sitting services, Italian museums are not only enhancing the visitor experience but also promoting a new concept of “six-legged tourism” that encourages pet owners to explore cultural sites together with their dogs. As Dino Gasperini stated, this initiative is a significant step toward improving pets’ wellbeing and allowing them to enjoy culture without being separated from their pets for long.
The success of Bauadvisor’s free dog-sitting service in Rome has sparked interest in other cities, including Bologna, where the Collezioni Comunali d’Arte and Museo Civico Archeologico will host the program this Sunday. The Uffizi Galleries in Florence and the National Archaeological Museum in Naples will debut their programs later in the year, on September 7 and October 5, respectively.
As the tourism industry continues to grow, it’s essential to provide services that cater to pet owners’ needs. By offering dog-sitting services, Italian museums are setting a new standard for cultural institutions worldwide. With Bauadvisor’s innovative approach, dog owners can now enjoy art, history, and culture without having to leave their furry friends behind.
