According to a SPA official, the “NAC», or new pets, would be the biggest victims of abandonment. Ferrets, rabbits, turtles and guinea pigs in particular.
Le Figaro Nice
According to the French Economic Observatory (OFCE), inflation will remain high until the end of the year in France, between +5.5 and +6.5%. Bad news for the millions of households that will have to tighten their belts for a few more months, but also for the thousands of abandoned pets. And for good reason, according to the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA), they would be the collateral victims of the decline in the purchasing power of the French.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, an increase of nearly 15% in dropouts was observed between January and April compared to last year. This is in any case what supports Nicole Vallauri, one of the managers of the refuge of the SPA of Cannet, near Nice. “It’s about the same percentage as nationally”, she explains. The SPA launched a survey from March 15 to 22 to better understand the reasons that lead some French people to get rid of their pet. “The first data that stands out is the rise in the cost of living. Moreover, we can see it well at home at the refuge. An animal now costs 940 euros at the SPA per year. It was 740 in 2019. Between food, accessories, toys, vet fees… It’s a significant expense.”explains Nicole Vallauri.
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A charge that some individuals do not realize and which ends up catching up with them, inexorably. “At first it’s a crush, a compulsive adoption. And then days and weeks pass and people realize that they don’t have the time or the means to take care of their animals. These are not objects that we put down and that we recover at a fixed time“recalls the manager.
Ferrets, rabbits, turtles and guinea pigs: the great neglected ones
And while abandonments increase, adoptions decrease according to the same logic. “Last year, there were 64 adoptions between January and April at the Cannet shelter. This year it’s only 40., regrets the manager. The latter, however, prefers to keep the animals at the shelter rather than seeing them again a few months later or discovering that they are mistreated. “Before adopting, each individual must consult and sign a certificate of commitment and knowledge for the dog and the cat. It explains the physiological, behavioral, educational, health, etc. needs. that animals need. Once the document is signed, they have seven days to reflect and decide“, she specifies.
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Still according to the manager, the “NAC(new pets), would be the biggest victims of abandonment. Ferrets, rabbits, turtles and guinea pigs in particular. “Between 2019 and today, we have recorded an increase of 34%!» worries Nicole Vallauri. Here again, the lack of financial means would be in question.
With kibble prices up 18%, veterinary care up 15% and ever-decreasing purchasing power, owners are often forced to part with their pets. »
Éric Pauget, MP (LR) for the 7th constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes.
In a letter dated April 28, the deputy (LR) of the 7th district of the Alpes-Maritimes, Éric Pauget, also alerted himself to this situation with the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau. “Every month, animal abandonment increases by 20%. As a direct consequence of galloping inflation that has been hitting the country for more than a year, many owners are no longer able to meet the food, hygiene and care needs of their animals. With kibble prices up 18%, veterinary care up 15% and ever-decreasing purchasing power, owners are often forced to part with their pets.“, he wrote to her.
Also pointing to thesaturation“reception shelters, which for their part have to deal with an increase in their electrical, food and staff costs”yet essential to their survival“. For the parliamentarian, it is urgent to find “financial solutionsso that shelters can take in animals in distress. “The survival of these refuges and above all the lives of millions of animals are at stake.“, he concludes, summoning the minister to provide answers”concrete and immediate.»
