Dolce & Gabbana launches a new fragrance for dogs that sparks a wave of anger and condemnation

The Italian luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana launched a new fragrance for dogs, in a move that sparked immediate condemnation from animal rights advocates.

The brand explained on its website: “This delicate, alcohol-free blend, inspired by Domenico Dolce’s unconditional love for his loyal little dog, Vivier, combines the refreshing and delicate scents of ylang-ylang, musk and sandalwood.”

The website described this product as “a delicate, captivating fragrance designed for a fun beauty routine.”

This perfume bottle retails for 99 euros and features a 24-carat gold-plated dog paw and a necklace with a medallion bearing the Dolce & Gabbana logo.

But the International Society for Animal Rights (PETA) considered that “spraying (dogs) with a perfume designed to please humans, as is the case (with the new Dolce & Gabbana product), could greatly disturb them.”

PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse that dogs “have hundreds of millions of additional receptors in their noses and have an ability to smell odors that is between 10,000 and 100,000 times greater than that of humans.”

She noted that the scents sprayed on their fur “can cause them discomfort and stress and interfere with their ability to detect other scents in their environment and communicate with other animals they encounter.”