Abandoned dogs and cats: acting against abandonment

Key points in 30 seconds

281,000 to 398,000 dogs and cats abandoned in France in 2025 (OCAD, French Ministry of Agriculture).
Abandonments often rise before summer and at times of life change (moving house, separation, financial difficulties).
Abandoning an animal is a criminal offence in France: it is punished like serious cruelty.
Our work: rescue, care, neutering, identification, adoption, prevention.

Abandonment in France: the figures

281,000 to 398,000dogs and cats abandoned in 2025Source: OCAD

7 daysmandatory cooling-off period before acquiring a petSource: 2021 law

Since 2024sale of dogs and cats banned in pet shopsSource: 2021 law

For the first time, the French Observatory for the Protection of Domestic Carnivores (OCAD), set up in 2021 within the Ministry of Agriculture, estimated the real number of abandonments by combining animals taken in by shelters, those that died in pounds after the holding period and those returned to sellers after purchase.

Why are animals abandoned?

Impulse purchase: the animal does not match what was imagined (size, energy, time needed).
Life changes: moving house, a birth, separation, moving into a care home.
Financial difficulties: vet bills, food.
Unwanted litters due to lack of neutering, especially among cats.
Holidays with no pet-care solution.

Our concrete actions

Rescue: we fund the care of abandoned animals by partner shelters and foster families.
Health check and veterinary care: examination, vaccines, worming, flea and tick treatment, wound care.
Identification and neutering of every animal before adoption.
Shelter: food, litter, bedding and equipment for foster families.
Adoption: meeting adopters, advice, follow-up after adoption.
Prevention: help with neutering stray cats, information on pet care during holidays, raising awareness of thoughtful adoption.

What your donation can fund

€15about two weeks of dry food for a cat

€30worming and flea treatment for a rescued dog

€60microchip identification for an animal

€150spaying a female dog or cat

Indicative benchmarks: in France, veterinary fees are set freely and vary between clinics and regions. Associations often benefit from negotiated rates.

You find an abandoned dog or cat: what to do?

Secure the animal without putting yourself at risk, and offer it some water.
Have its identification read (microchip or tattoo) by a vet: they can trace the owner through the French national I-CAD register.
Contact the town hall: every French municipality must have a pound or a service for stray animals.
Report an abandonment you witness to the police or gendarmerie: it is a criminal offence.

Frequently asked questions

How many animals are abandoned each year in France?

According to the French Observatory for the Protection of Domestic Carnivores (OCAD), between 281,000 and 398,000 dogs and cats were abandoned in France in 2025.

Is abandoning an animal punishable by law?

Yes. Since the law of 30 November 2021, abandoning a domestic animal in France carries the same penalties as serious cruelty (Article 521-1 of the Criminal Code): up to 3 years' imprisonment and a €45,000 fine.

What if I can no longer keep my pet?

Never abandon it. Contact a shelter or an animal protection association to arrange a proper handover, or look for a trustworthy adopter yourself.

How can I help without adopting?

By donating, becoming a foster family for a shelter, sharing adoption posts or donating equipment (blankets, bowls, pet food).

Abandoned dogs and cats: taking them in, caring for them, finding them a home