Although the undisputed kingdom of Pet Spas is the United States, the phenomenon is also arriving in Italy, achieving increasingly notable success. From the major cities, these specialized centers are spreading to villages and small towns, becoming a point of reference for those who are not satisfied with simple grooming.
Dog and cat spas offer a much more complete and refined service than a traditional grooming salon. Essentially, they provide a complete program in which dogs and cats undergo a check-up followed by dietary recommendations and beauty treatments. If Fido or Fuffi are overweight or need to tone their muscles, the spa prepares a genuine nutritional plan, accompanied by toning and slimming massages and swimming sessions in dedicated pools. Hydrotherapy is reserved for dogs, since we know that kittens do not particularly like water, and it is carried out periodically to tone the muscles of our four-legged friend and make them more lively and responsive.
Spas offer a range of treatments, from anti-stress massages to genuine beauty treatments such as masks, hydrotherapy, massage therapy and beauty sessions, with specialized hairdressers and a multitude of accessories dedicated to styling our canine and feline friends. Everything is completed with the use of dedicated perfumes and essences, which help both to relax the animals and to make them fragrant for social encounters.
In Italy, the phenomenon mainly concerns the major cities, with Milan and Rome at the forefront. In the Milan area, it is possible to take your four-legged friend to Terme di Fido, a center located 20 kilometers from the city center in Pessano con Bornago. The facility covers 600 square meters and is equipped with a large swimming pool with hydrotherapy and numerous rooms dedicated to canine aesthetics and health. Also in Milan is the innovative centerFor Pets Only Beauty & Spa, a true Mecca of relaxation for dogs and cats. Scented candles, relaxing treatments and essential-oil therapies await felines and puppies. In Brescia, there is the Dog’s Sporting Academy, much more than a wellness center, as it contains a spacious swimming pool, a play area and a wellness area equipped with ozone treatments and hydrotherapy.
Further down the peninsula, we find La Vecchia Fattorina, a beauty farm located in Rome with a professional, highly trained staff. Hairdressers, beauticians and even yoga teachers are available for feline friends and puppies, together with a veterinary specialist who perhaps represents the most conventional professional within the facility. Lo Chalet di San Giovanni Teatino in the province of Chieti is extremely popular. Although it is primarily a facility dedicated to rehabilitation from injuries, the center offers hydrotherapy and massage therapy and allows four-legged friends to completely renew their look.
Excesses? Unrestrained luxury? Certainly, since these centers offer specialized services at a very high cost. On the one hand, these treatments are entirely focused on the animals’ health and appearance and do not involve episodes of fanaticism such as the latest news we had to watch live from Russia. The video went viral online and featured a cat transformed into a bee and a dog into a dragon. Although the center’s owner assured everyone that the colors used were non-toxic and safe for the animals, one might be tempted to invite the owners to buy a beehive or go to the island of Komodo, where the only dragons in existence on Earth can be found. Respect for animals is shown through everyday actions, by providing them with a healthy diet and devoting all the affection and time we can. Everything else is an extra that affluent people can afford and that certainly represents a major trend of our time.