“A litter of kittens with their mother was found locked up, taped in a cardboard box placed in a trash container at Rayol-Canadel”. This kind of gestures “people who do not have the courage of their actions” are unfortunately not new to Dominique Labé. Except that given the current economic context, the president of the Croisienne Association for Aid and Defense of Animals fears that they will get worse…
When the ax falls at the end of difficult months and it is necessary to “arbitrate”, the “animal” budget would be one of the first affected.
According to estimates, the annual cost for a small dog without any particular health problem would be around 400 euros to jump to more than 1,000 euros for a “large dog”…
Use the “animal” anti-inflation basket
Hence a “logic of economy” cruelly felt within the SPA more than ever in the role of “service firefighters” when the abandonment of dogs, cats and other NAC fall…
These abandonments (all causes combined) increased in the first trimester with 15% more care in January, February and March.
Faced with the situation, the Animalist Party is asking the government to include animal feed in the anti-inflation basket in order to guarantee its accessibility.
“To the financial distress suffered by many of our fellow citizens must not be added the psychological distress of having to separate from a loved one”argues Catherine Hélayel, co-president and spokesperson for the movement.
Positive point despite everything, 35% of French people (1) prefer to reduce other expenses in order to continue to spoil their hairballs.
A third seek to soften the bill by turning to cheaper or homemade products, or by limiting non-essential purchases (clothing, babysitting solutions, sessions with a canine or feline trainer, etc.).
Croquettes at + 17%
The problem is not limited to owners who can no longer afford the cost of the products…
“Our shelters are experiencing a 17% increase in the price of kibble for cats and dogs as well as specialized food for more fragile animals. An increase in the cost of litter, animal accessories and cleaning products”, is also pointed out by the representatives of the association which lodges, feeds and cares for its residents.
“To these increases is added that of the cost of energy while the catteries and kennels are heated continuously to guarantee the well-being of our residents. We have gone from 832 euros in operating costs in 2022 for each of the animals, at 942 euros”, figures the president of the SPA, Jacques-Charles Fombonne, who counts 45,000 animals collected each year in his 64 shelters.
Doors open on May 13 and 14
The situation being what it is, this sad logic continues with a stagnation in the number of adoptions. Animals stay longer in shelters before finding new masters… “On average up to 56 days”, said a spokesperson. Which leads inexorably to the saturation of these places of reception even before the beginning of the summer period…
Board of salvation, the open days on May 13 and 14, 2023 which always constitute a springboard for adoption. As long as then, this one does not rhyme with abandonment.
1. Survey conducted among a panel of 1,500 dog and cat owners by Rover, a network for pet services.