Italian couple to share weekend custody of dog

Lawyers for the couple reached an agreement which will see them take care of the Whippet on alternate weekends and holidays, Il Mattino reported.

The custody battle erupted after the couple from Oderzo, north-east Italy, split up. The 35-year-old woman won shared ownership after accusing her ex-boyfriend, 36, of embezzlement.

Pooches are so loved by their Italian owners that some have their very own beach resort. Dogs at the BauBeach, on the outskirts of Rome, were free to roam along the sea shore this summer and rest in the shade under their very own pooch parasol.

READ MORE: Italy's pooches play at dog-only beach

But tragedy struck on another beach last month, when a dog died moments after saving a five-year-old boy from drowning. The dog was hailed as a hero after alerting beachgoers to the struggling child, before jumping into the waters to try and save him.

There are six million registered dogs in Italy, or one for every ten people.