Document type : article published in Le Monde
Author: Le Monde, with AFP
Preview: The French Société protectrice des animaux (SPA) admitted 44,844 abandoned or abused animals in 2023, it announced on Monday January 22. This represents a 1.5% rise for the year, almost equaling the record set in 2019, while adoptions are falling once again. Last year, the SPA admitted 28,652 cats, 13,124 dogs, 2,894 other pets (NACs) including rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and ferrets, and 174 equines and farm animals. On the adoption front, 40,587 animals found new owners last year, down 1.5% on 2022. The SPA was able to place 25,228 cats, 12,476 dogs and 2,767 NACs. The return rate following an adoption at the SPA remains low, at 3.2% (down 0.7 points compared to 2022).
Full shelters
As a consequence of the higher admissions and fall in adoptions, the society's 64 shelters "were full throughout the year", the organisation was sorry to announce in its press release. In particular, the SPA condemned the increase in the number of NACs it had admitted over the past few years. "These small animals, who are often treated as objects, are often acquired with no proper plans in place", it said.
The increase in the abandonment of "on-trend" dogs with special needs requiring specific knowledge (such as Malinois or Australian shepherds) has also contributed to the overflowing state of its shelters. In 2023, the SPA entered into "a historic partnership to combat animal abuse" with the French Ministries of the Interior and Agriculture, in order to better come to grips with abuse. On the ground last year, 1,139 SPA authorised volunteer investigators processed 27,642 reports (+16% for the year) and conducted 17,819 investigations. They rescued 3,884 animals from abuse, according to the figures given in the press release. The association also helped sterilize 5,523 stray cats.
