• The spring open house takes place at the SPA on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May.
  • More than 6,000 dogs, cats and NACs are waiting for their new owners in the 63 shelters of France.
  • All shelters are eagerly awaiting this event as they face an upsurge in abandonments since January, especially due to inflation.

"An open door to happiness." The tone is set. The SPA launches this weekend, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May, its famous spring open house. This year's theme is cinema, hence the ingenious slogans that hijack movie posters: "A wouf encounter" or "When the Martins meet Pinpin". About 6,000 dogs, cats and NACs (new pets) are waiting for their new owners in France's 63 shelters.

"We hope to receive a large audience because we have had a very large increase in the number of animal care since January," says Fabien Fanoï, animal agent at the Gennevilliers shelter. At home alone, we are at +13% of care just for dogs. In one week, we receive about sixty requests for abandonment. Not to mention those pounds that come to us. »



Inflation on the front line

Beyond the "classic" reasons for abandonment, such as breakups or the birth of a child, inflation is at the forefront. "The influx of abandonments generates costs for us too," adds the SPA employee. For example, the price of kibble has increased by 17%, in the same way we are at +15% rate increase for electricity in our shelter. Knowing that donations can also decrease according to people's means. We are faced with the same problems as homes. To respond to this increase, adoption rates have also increased for the first time since 2017: 170 euros for a cat, 270 euros for a dog, and even the price of abandonment has increased from 50 to 80 euros.

"This is justified by the increase in the operating costs of shelters, and it also makes adoptions more responsible," insists Fabien Fanoï. I really encourage the public to come and adopt in shelter, when you adopt from us you give the chance to another animal to take its place so that it then finds a new home. According to an OpinionWay survey conducted in March for the SPA, 67% of respondents plan to have a pet but 25% of them are held back by the idea because of inflation.

  • Society
  • Spa
  • Refuge
  • Animals
  • Abandonment
  • Inflation