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IN PICTURES: 8,000 animals abandoned in France this summer

An animal shelter is urgently seeking new homes for the more than 8,000 dogs, cats and other pets abandoned there since the start of the summer.

Published: 12 August 2019 15:47 CEST
IN PICTURES: 8,000 animals abandoned in France this summer
All photos: AFP at the LPA shelter in Lille

Dozens of animals wait in cages at the League Protectrice des Animaux (LPA) in Lille, just one of many places across France taking in abandoned animals.

The rate of animal abandonment increased by 28 percent since January 2019, according to the Society of Protection of Animals (SPA), a record for Europe.

The problem of animals being abandoned over the summer as owners take their holidays is a long-running one in France, but it appears to be getting worse.

Last year a total of 60,000 animals were abandoned, prompting police and animal welfare charities to warn owners that they face a fine of up to €30,000 for dumping a pet.

Abandoning an animal counts as cruelty under French law, an offence which attracts a maximum penalty of €30,000.

In June, just ahead of the long summer break, police teamed up with animal charity 30 Million Amis to run a publicity campaign showing people that there are alternatives to abandoning an animal if they cannot care for it any longer.

Financial difficulties was the main reason that people gave for no longer being able to look after a pet.

Find out more here.

Member comments

  1. I had no idea that it was that bad. I got two dogs from SPA at Nantes after my Wolfhound died and it couldn’t have been easier. The staff were great and very helpful. I was a bit apprehensive at first about rescued dogs but they have turned out to be great. Well recommend doing it.

  2. Shame on their owners. I see homeless people in Paris WITH dogs.
    There is NO excuse.
    Fines are not the answer. Put their owners in pet lock up for 90!

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WEATHER

IN PICTURES: French town hit by freak June hailstorm

A French town has been hit by a freak hailstorm that left locals clearing drifts of ice in the streets with shovels and snow ploughs.

Published: 29 June 2021 16:44 CEST
IN PICTURES: French town hit by freak June hailstorm
Photo: Sapeurs-pompiers des Vosges

The hail struck the town of Plombières-les-Bains in the Vosges mountains on Tuesday morning.

Romain Munier, head of communications for the local emergency services, told French media: “There were up to 60 centimetres of accumulated hail” while in the wider area, “up to 10 millimetres of water accumulated in six minutes”.

https://twitter.com/timbaland57/status/1409881345741012994

Locals were pictured clearing the street of ice with shovels and snow ploughs after the storm passed and the fire and rescue crews for the Vosges area said they had received 56 callouts in total.

Large areas of France are on weather alert for storms until Thursday, as a ‘cold drop’ passes over the country leading to extremely unsettled weather.

In most areas, however, the storms will be confined to heavy rain and thunder.

In neighbouring Switzerland, the Swiss news agency ATS reported giant hailstones up to seven centimetres wide in the canton of Lucerne.

In the canton of Fribourg, the police and fire brigade were called 300 times, including to rescue a class of 16 children and two adults caught in the hail.

Six of the children and one adult were taken to hospital.

At least five people were injured in the German-speaking Swiss cantons, including a cyclist who suffered head injuries from hailstones, according to ATS, whilst in Germany severe flooding has hit parts of the country including Stuttgart.

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