Giancarlo’s Choice: Giving Up a Home to Stay With His Dog Bimba
Giancarlo Perazzi, 77, has been living on the streets of Piacenza for a week. Not because he has nowhere else to go, but because he refuses to be separated from Bimba, the dog who’s been his faithful companion for over a decade. When offered public housing that didn’t allow pets, Giancarlo said no. For him, Bimba isn’t just a dog—she’s family.
A lifetime of work, but no place to call home
Giancarlo is no stranger to hard work. He’s been a mechanic, a gas station attendant, a shelter worker, and even a caregiver. He survives on a pension of €600 a month—just enough to get by, but not enough to afford rent. Until recently, he had a roof over his head while caring for an elderly woman in exchange for room and board. When she passed away, he lost his home.
Social services offered emergency housing, but none of the available options allowed pets. Giancarlo didn’t hesitate. He preferred to sleep on a mattress under a portico on Via Martiri della Resistenza than to leave Bimba behind.
A community rises to help
Piacenza responded. Neighbors began bringing food for both man and dog. Blankets were donated. Strangers stopped to talk, to check in, and to offer help. Two young men have even offered financial assistance until Giancarlo finds stable housing. Someone in the nearby province has offered a home.
The case has also reached local politicians. Councilwoman Sara Soresi, from Fratelli d’Italia, submitted a motion to revise emergency housing regulations to allow pets in extraordinary, documented cases.
"I’ve never felt so loved"
“In 77 years, I’ve never received as much love as I have this week,” Giancarlo said. And it’s easy to believe. Sometimes, all it takes is a warm meal or a kind gesture to remind someone they are not invisible—even without a roof over their head.
How this story ends is still uncertain. Maybe with an apartment. Maybe with a small home in the countryside. But one thing is clear: Giancarlo is no longer alone. And neither is Bimba.
A broader issue: pets as family
Giancarlo’s story is not an isolated case. More and more people are turning down public housing because it means giving up their pets. It’s time for regulations to reflect reality—for many, a dog or cat isn’t a luxury, it’s family. And you don’t abandon family.
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