An animal welfare organization was alarmed by the surge in pet abandonment cases in France as most owners head for the coast or countryside for the long summer holidays.

The Society for the Protection of Animals said that since the beginning of summer, the group has rescued more than 12,000 animals.

"We're executed"

The group, which is based in Paris, has issued an urgent request for donations and adoptions, claiming that their employees are "exhausted."'

Pet abandonment is on the rise in France, and room is "sorely lacking" in shelters across the country, despite caregivers "pushing the walls" to save as many as possible.

Every year, shelters redouble their efforts to cope with saturation and take in animals in peril. Today, the situation is alarming," the SPA said in a statement. "We urgently need to save, feed, and care for all victims of abandonment and abuse."

Margaux Pengam from the SPA said some people legally abandon their pets directly to an animal agent in shelters.

"But unfortunately, all too often we find cats and dogs abandoned on the public highway, some even tied to the gates of our shelters or found in cardboard boxes," she said in an interview.

Hundreds of other animal shelters, including 30 Millions d'amis (30 Million Friends) and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, have also reported an increase in abandoned pets.

Approximately 100,000 pets are abandoned in France annually, with 60,000 being abandoned during the summer.

"This indicates that there are still many people who go on vacation and leave an animal by the roadside or at a highway rest stop," Transport Minister Clément Beaune said during his visit in a shelter last August 7.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation said France is considered the "first place in Europe for pet abandonment."

The group reminded the public that such an act is punishable by law.

"The abandonment of a domestic animal, whether tamed or held in captivity, is punishable by 3 years in prison and a fine of € 45,000," they added.

The French government established a law in 2022 that defined abandoning an animal as "mistreatment."

Read Also: More COVID Dogs Surrendered To Animal Shelters In Canada

French families no plans to have pet

According to an Ifop poll conducted in November, 18% of French households have abandoned their intentions to adopt an animal this year due to budgetary constraints.

"In a global context of rising prices, pet products don't seem to be spared, and owners find themselves forced to spend more to continue providing for their pets," it reported.

The PSA explained that owners who took in pets during the COVID lockdown realized they were unsuitable to take care of an animal and that it did not fit their post-COVID lifestyle.

Purchasing power has been a problem for pet owners, as pet food and other costs have increased by 15% this year compared to 2022.

Beaune urged French people not to leave their animals.

"It is unacceptable. Those who abandon will be severely and heavily punished," he said.

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