Ikea store opens its doors to stray dogs
Homeless dogs find a comfortable temporary home during downpours in Sicily
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
An Ikea store in Italy has been applauded by animal lovers around the world after opening its doors to lost and abandoned dogs during bad weather.
The city of Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily, has been experiencing torrential rainfall resulting in serious flooding over the past fortnight.
However, stray dogs in danger on the flooded streets can find shelter in an unexpected place - the local branch of the Swedish budget homeware giant.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The good deed went viral after Vittoria Taccia Gabrielli shared a video to Facebook showing a pair of contented dogs relaxing on rugs in a Christmas display in the store. The post has since been shared more than 15,000 times.
The video was filmed by her daughter, who is heard saying: “Mum, look how sweet! In Ikea, they are giving shelter to strays.”
The Gazzetta del Sud newspaper confirmed that “store staff let the strays wander around the aisles” during the downpours, noting that the feedback from customers has been favourable.
Since then, animal-loving shoppers have continued to share pictures and videos on social media showing the store’s canine guests relaxing on display rugs and sofas.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
-
Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
-
The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military