Rising inflation and the current economic difficulties are affecting pets. According to RTLIn the first quarter of 2023, animal abandonment increased by 15 %, and the SPA's shelters are now overcrowded. At the same time, the number of adoptions has stagnated in recent months, with nearly 4,000 animals waiting for a foster home, according to the website of the Société Protectrice des Animaux.
In addition, many animals are still being processed and are not yet available for adoption. "We currently have 6,400 animals in our shelters, whereas our maximum capacity is 7,500. Our shelters are almost saturated even before the summer begins," warned Jacques-Charles Fombonne, president of the SPA, in a radio interview.
Increasing costs for pet owners
The main cause of this situation is the rising cost of dog and cat food. France Bleu recalls that the price of kibble has risen by 18 % in one year, prompting many owners to abandon their pets. "A healthy animal costs about 1,000 euros a year, which is a lot of money," says Jacques-Charles Fombonne.
In addition, veterinary costs can quickly soar in the event of a major operation. "Today, even an average family cannot afford these expenses," admits Maeva Fabbri, director of the Strasbourg SPA, in an interview with France Bleu.
Shelters in difficulty
As a direct consequence, adoption requests are down and animals are spending more and more time in shelters, "on average between 51 and 56 days", according to Jacques-Charles Fombonne. Some local structures are even forced to make owners who want to give up their animals wait until a space becomes available.
Inflation is also affecting shelters, with rising costs for food, veterinary care and energy. According to Jacques-Charles Fombonne, the average cost of caring for an animal is now €1,000, compared to €850 before inflation. "Operating costs for each animal have risen from €690 to €942," he told RTL.
The SPA calls for help and is organising open days in all its shelters on 13 and 14 May. In 2022, the association took in 44,199 abandoned animals, including 27,940 cats, a figure close to the record set in 2019.
