Yenky, a military working dog with the 509th Security Forces Squadron, is shown during a training session in Sedalia, Missouri, on Sept. 2, 2025. (Tanisha Karn/U.S. Army)
VICENZA, Italy — The smell of pooch potty in a city near a U.S. Army logistics hub south of Pisa has become so putrid that dog owners will be required to flush their pet’s pee from public areas.
The mayor of Livorno, a coastal city outside Camp Darby in the Tuscany region, signed an ordinance this week requiring dog handlers to carry bottles or sprayers of water to rinse away their canine’s piddle from pavement, street benches and the wheels of parked cars and scooters. It also applies to private spaces near areas used by the public.
The measure aims to address the many complaints about odors and hygiene issues related to the dog urine befouling places where adults and children socialize, the city said in a statement that noted a significant and growing pet dog population.
The ordinance also strictly forbids handlers from letting their mutts relieve themselves near doorways, windows and entrances to homes, offices and shops.
Existing city rules require dog walkers in public areas and green spaces to immediately remove solid waste using appropriate equipment and to show the equipment to a public official upon request. Violators are subject to a fine.
But those rules do not address the issue of liquid waste.
The new ordinance will be in effect from May 20 to Oct. 31, the most critical period of the year from a climate perspective, as temperatures rise and rainfall declines, the statement said.
Violators face fines ranging from 25 to 500 euros, and offenders will be responsible for restoring the site.