Dog days? In Italy, count them like family sick days

An Italian librarian who says her English setter is part of her family has won the right from her employer to use family sick leave to care for her ailing pet instead of having to use vacation days. Italian animal advocacy group LAV says it helped persuade public La Sapienza University to let her use two days’ family sick leave to care for 12-year-old Cucciola. LAV president Gianluca Felicetti says in a statement anyone who obtains a veterinarian’s certificate should enjoy the same benefit, citing Cucciola’s case as precedent. The woman said Cucciola, a rescue, is recovering well from surgery for a breast tumour and a larynx problem.