Document type: article published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Agri-Food, and Food Sovereignty (MAASA)
Author: MAASA
Preview: OCAD brings together all stakeholders in animal welfare within a steering committee: representatives from nonprofit organizations, animal shelters, breeders, pet stores, veterinarians, pedigree registry administrators, industry representatives, and the Association of Mayors of France. OCAD also has two permanent guests: the French Reference Centre for animal welfare FRCAW), which serves as the expert body responsible for responding to referrals from the OCAD steering committee; and the National Identification Registry for Domestic Carnivores (ICAD), which provides data useful for the expert body’s analyses based on the national identification registry for domestic carnivores and the national database of operators for dogs, cats, and ferrets. Finally, the Ministry of Agriculture serves as the secretariat for OCAD.
The OCAD steering committee is responsible for defining the broad guidelines for OCAD’s work. It discusses and issues opinions on the expert reports FRCAW by FRCAW at its request.
Framework Agreement Defining and Organizing OCAD
The terms of collaboration among the various members of the steering committee are set forth in a framework agreement signed by all members. This agreement also defines, in its appendix setting forth the rules of procedure for the OCAD steering committee, the rules for membership in the committee.
FRCAW Expert Reports FRCAW OCAD
All FRCAW expert reports FRCAW OCAD are available on the FRCAW website FRCAW https://www.cnr-bea.fr/expertise-avis-travaux/#animaux-ocad.
Summary of the OCAD Steering Committee’s opinions
The first task entrusted to OCAD by the Minister of Agriculture concerns the abandonment of animals, an issue that requires expert analysis in order to organize efforts to combat abandonment.
An initial expert report by FRCAW presented to the members of the steering committee on March 4, 2022. The report aimed to provide an assessment of the current situation regarding the abandonment of dogs and cats in France. A summary of the steering committee’s opinions on this initial expert report was approved by the steering committee members in March 2023.
A second expert report from FRCAW submitted to the steering committee members on July 12, 2023. Its purpose was to develop a definition of the abandonment of domestic carnivores and an exhaustive list of reasons for dogs and cats entering and leaving shelters. A summary of the steering committee’s opinions on this second expert report was approved by the steering committee members in June 2026.
OCAD Work Reports
Number of Abandoned Dogs and Cats in France in 2025
Following the FRCAW second expert assessment FRCAW OCAD, which focused on defining “abandonment” for the purpose of quantifying it, the OCAD steering committee agreed on a formula for calculating the annual number of abandoned dogs and cats, which may evolve over the years based on available and usable data. (…) Thus, for the year 2025, the total number of abandoned dogs and cats is estimated to be between 281,000 and 398,000, depending on the calculation method used. (…)
