An Ikea In Italy Lets Stray Dogs Hang Out In Its Store -- and Customers Love It

Ikea is known for its affordable furniture, simple designs and range of have-to-buy accessories. But one Italian Ikea is also known for something else: letting stray dogs sleep in its store.

A store in Catania allows homeless dogs to get some rest next to its couches, under its tables, by the checkout and basically everywhere in between.

Local resident Di Legami Graziella snapped a picture of the Ikea dogs, telling us she really enjoys seeing the pups at the store. “Ikea helps stray dogs by opening their doors during the winter but also in the summer,” she says. “They find both shelter and food and water and are pampered and controlled by volunteers.”

Image Credit: Di Legami Graziella

She adds that she is always pleasantly surprised to see them, adding, “as long as there are people who open the door to the weaker, there is still love in the world.”

Besides taking care of dogs on the street, Italians are also known for loving their own pets. There is a grocery store that has a special shopping cart for dogs. There is also a beach spot in Rimini that bans people without dogs. And there are other companies in Europe that have taken it upon themselves to provide dogs a warm place to stay when it is chilly out. It was reported that in Istanbul a mall provided shelter to stray dogs during freezing weather and a coffee shop in Greece opens its doors to homeless pups each night.

Here are some of our favorite customer photos:

Image Credit: Instagram

By Andrea Huspeni

Andrea Huspeni is the founder and CEO of This Dog's Life. Her mission it to help dogs live a happier, healthier and longer life. When she isn't working, she spends time with her two dogs, Lola and Milo. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.