Since the beginning of the year, Italy has seen a dramatic surge in African swine fever (ASF) cases, with nearly 200 identified, nearing the number from the entirety of the previous year. The disease, initially contained in the Lazio region near Rome, has now spread to Piedmont and Liguria, raising concerns about its further dissemination. The head of the national reference laboratory for ASF, Francesco Feliziani, criticized the slow response to the outbreak, pointing out delays in funding for protective fences and the failure of efforts to reduce the wild boar population through collaboration with hunters and animal rights activists. The responsibility for animal disease control has been spread across various authorities, with some questioning their competence.