The national trend is felt at the Arpan shelter where 60 dogs and 40 cats are available for adoption today. Terrible figures that find explanations in the behavior of pet owners. The open days of September 10 and 11 in Narbonne should allow the establishment to stop this sad phenomenon.
Alas the trend is national, and like all refuges in France, that of Narbonne, the Arpan, is full.
The management may multiply awareness-raising actions and redouble its efforts, but the result hardly changes. “At the beginning of August, we had good news, adoptions resumed, and we rekindled hope. But we quickly realized the obvious: each time a place becomes available, it is immediately occupied! We can’t unclog” deplores Carine Bardiera, the president.
Traumatized by abandonment
The refuge has struggled to make the leap since the collapse of the Covid, because the post-confinement period has led to a very high number of abandonments. The opportunistic masters, who only took a dog to satisfy the exit authorization criterion, then got rid of it. Today, not only is the shelter overflowing, but it welcomes among the newcomers dogs traumatized by this abandonment. “We have a lot of situations like that, but we see that after a while, we get there. For 15 days, the dog cries, he does not understand, then he is furious. Then, little by little, He relaxes. The healers and educators take care of him and we have spectacular results.
A cat goes up for adoption: it’s a great day for him…and for the shelter.
The figures speak for themselves: in three years, the number of animals voluntarily abandoned has doubled. And the practices also differ. Some owners arrive at the shelter with tears in their eyes, as the process is cumbersome: they are forced to part with their dog because their personal situation has changed (separation, transfer, change of house for a cramped apartment, admission to an establishment health, etc.), but others leave their animals cowardly on the public highway. Many stray dogs on the side of the road have never been identified, and cats have been discovered in garbage bags.
“It is difficult to contact the owners, because of the absence of identification of the animals when it is mandatory, explains Carine Bardiera. Sometimes we find them, but they never call back to avoid settling the abandonment : 100 euros for a dog and 80 euros for a cat.” A sum not that high, compared to the enormity of the daily task of the volunteers who clean, feed, take the dogs out, establish contacts, manage the documents… A mission that visitors prefer not to imagine.
Arpan will be physically present at the Associations Forum on Saturday September 3rd. Ten days later, September 10 and 11 will be the Open Days. Two appointments dedicated to information on the adoption of boarders, on volunteer work in the shelter but also the system of foster families for animals.
This one loves to take refuge in the fabric tubes of the cattery
A new more protective law
On October 1, 2022, a new law, promulgated on November 30, 2021, will come into force to ensure animal welfare, raise awareness among buyers and try to reduce abandonment. A certificate of commitment and knowledge signed by the new owner will be given to him.
This will therefore commit the adopter to protect his animal, not to abandon it and to meet its needs. Written by a person holding the Attestation of Knowledge for Companion Animals of Domestic Species (ACACED), the document will also specify the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of the animal according to its species. It must be submitted at least one week before the transfer of the animal concerned.