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Animal welfare initiatives

France Relance : près de 330 projets portés par des refuges et associations de protection des animaux de compagnie soutenus et un doublement des fonds annoncé par le Président de la République

By October 4th 2021October 19th, 2021No Comments

Document type : Press release from the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Author: Press Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Preview: Ten months after they were launched, the support measures for animal shelters and associations for the protection of pets provided under the France Relance plan have already enabled 329 projects to receive funding. Now that nearly 90% of the initial funds have already been allocated, the President of the Republic has today announced an additional 15 million euros to add to the original allocation. These measures are part of a wider action plan to combat pet abandonment set out in December by Julien Denormandie, the French Minister for Agriculture and Food.

This scheme, which is open to associations and groups of all sizes, was initially allocated a total of €14 million. During a visit to a dog and cat shelter in Gray, Haute-Saône, the President of the Republic announced the provision of a further €15 million for this scheme. This will allow further organisations to receive support, over and above the 329 projects that have already had funding since the beginning of the year, including :

- 228 projects to update or provide equipment for existing shelters and those currently being set up (including 199 domestic carnivore shelters and 29 equine shelters);

- 101 sterilisation campaigns for stray cats or dogs taken in by shelters (purchase of equipment, payment of veterinary costs, etc.) conducted by local authorities or associations.

Some examples from among the 329 winning projects are:

- The Saint-Adrien shelter in Gray, Haute-Saône, has received €23,657 in grants to help renovate its cattery.

- The Doggy Oasis International Association in Kourou, French Guiana, will be able to use the €300,000 it has received to extend the shelter to take in further abandoned dogs and acquire the equipment it needs to ensure the animals' welfare.

- The equine refuge "Le pied à l'étrier" in Plésidy in the Côtes-d'Armor region, has been awarded €59,000 to renovate its stables, install fencing, facilitate the adoption of animals and increase storage capacity for fodder and feed.

- The Omois animal-welfare association in Château-Thierry in the Aisne region will start work on renovating a cattery dating from the early 2000s and will install thermal insulation thanks to a grant of more than €66,000.

"Sadly, France holds the record for pet abandonment. We must take determined action to change this and must support those who work daily to protect such pets. This is a battle for everyone and the Government is fully committed to it, particularly through the mechanism of the France Relance plan," said Julien Denormandie, the French Minister for Agriculture and Food.

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