Forums » France » Pets in France

• wgram

  
   

  October 29, 2008 6:10:05 PM CET

  When in Paris recently, I noticed many feral cats living in the Paris cemeteries. Is there an organization that takes care of these cats? (i.e. feed, spay/neuter, vaccinate, etc.)
  
  My friend and I are planning on being in Paris for several weeks and would like to volunteer with any groups taking care of the feral cat population in the Paris cemeteries.
  
  Does anyone know of any group or individual with which we can volunteer?
• annisik

  
   

  November 4, 2008 3:20:26 PM CET

  
  

  wgram (Oct 29 2008, 05:10 PM) said: > original post
  When in Paris recently, I noticed many feral cats living in the Paris cemeteries. Is there an organization that takes care of these cats? (i.e. feed, spay/neuter, vaccinate, etc.)
  
  My friend and I are planning on being in Paris for several weeks and would like to volunteer with any groups taking care of the feral cat population in the Paris cemeteries.
  
  Does anyone know of any group or individual with which we can volunteer?

  
  
  
  I'd suggest contacting the Mairie (Town Hall) of the arrondissement in which you are going to stay and ask the question. They will be able to tell you if there is any association or local group doing anything.
  
  They should at least be able to give you the address for the nearest SPA (Society For The Protection Of Animals) in France and you can alert them to the situation and also volunteer with them. Their national web site is: http://www.spa.asso.fr
  
  Our cat is a rescued cat adopted from the SPA, in February this year, from their refuge in in Plaisir, near Paris.
  
  You can also help feed rescued animals very easily: www.clicanimaux.fr is a site that helps raise money for the SPA. There's a big yellow button the page and if you click it, you are basically feeding one animal one meal.
  
  You can choose to have email reminders sent to you every day from clicanimaux to remind you to go to the site and click the button. And you can have it as a signature on the bottom of your emails. I have reminders sent and go and click every day and every email I send out has the link to clicanimaux on the bottom!
  
  There are tabs on the top of the clicanimaux site so you can do the same for children, the disabled, the hungry, just click the big buttons!
  
  This operation takes me about one minute per day.
  
  Hope this helps and thanks for caring.
  
  
  Ann
  
• wgram

  
   

  November 5, 2008 7:42:08 PM CET

  
  

  annisik (Nov 4 2008, 02:20 PM) said: > original post
  I'd suggest contacting the Mairie (Town Hall) of the arrondissement in which you are going to stay and ask the question. They will be able to tell you if there is any association or local group doing anything.
  
  They should at least be able to give you the address for the nearest SPA (Society For The Protection Of Animals) in France and you can alert them to the situation and also volunteer with them. Their national web site is: http://www.spa.asso.fr
  
  Our cat is a rescued cat adopted from the SPA, in February this year, from their refuge in in Plaisir, near Paris.
  
  You can also help feed rescued animals very easily: www.clicanimaux.fr is a site that helps raise money for the SPA. There's a big yellow button the page and if you click it, you are basically feeding one animal one meal.
  
  You can choose to have email reminders sent to you every day from clicanimaux to remind you to go to the site and click the button. And you can have it as a signature on the bottom of your emails. I have reminders sent and go and click every day and every email I send out has the link to clicanimaux on the bottom!
  
  There are tabs on the top of the clicanimaux site so you can do the same for children, the disabled, the hungry, just click the big buttons!
  
  This operation takes me about one minute per day.
  
  Hope this helps and thanks for caring.
  
  
  Ann

  
  
  
  Thank you Ann!
  I have emailed the SPA but have not heard back from them. We do not know where we will be staying yet, but when we do, I will contact the Mairie, as you suggested. I was hoping there would be an organization which cared specifically for the cemetery cats, but I don't think there is. It must be just kind and caring individuals who care for them.
  
  It's wonderful that you have adopted your cat from the SPA! I have two cats which were strays at one point, but now are part of our family. I will check out the clicanimaux website. It sounds like an easy way to help the SPA care for animals!
  
  Again, thank you for your ideas!
  Doreen
  
• annisik

  
   

  November 6, 2008 2:33:21 AM CET

  
  

  wgram (Nov 5 2008, 06:42 PM) said: > original post
  Thank you Ann!
  I have emailed the SPA but have not heard back from them. We do not know where we will be staying yet, but when we do, I will contact the Mairie, as you suggested. I was hoping there would be an organization which cared specifically for the cemetery cats, but I don't think there is. It must be just kind and caring individuals who care for them.
  
  It's wonderful that you have adopted your cat from the SPA! I have two cats which were strays at one point, but now are part of our family. I will check out the clicanimaux website. It sounds like an easy way to help the SPA care for animals!
  
  Again, thank you for your ideas!
  Doreen

  
  
  
  I've since read that it's the responsibility of the Police of each arrondissement to provide shelters for stray or lost or abandoned animals, until their owners are found (responsible owners have their pets tattooed in the ear and register them with the 'tattoo office' (can't recall the real name!) If owners aren't found, they go to the SPA shelter. Whether they would get involved with feral cats in cemeteries (or elsewhere) I can't say. I believe locals sometimes look after ferals. 60,000 animals are abandoned in France every year. Peak time is before the annual summer holidays - August. Unbelievable really. Our cat was found in a car park starving just before Christmas last year. She weighed 2 lbs. She's ...er... over 8 now!!! Our first two cats bless them, passed on. They were adopted too. I hang out in Paris at The Scots Kirk. There are free music concerts and recitals. (Nothing to do with the church, it just hires out the hall). There are ads for them in the classified section here, under 'music' events, (naturally)! When you come over, and like music, you might like to check them out - and ask for me. I'm usually there. Good luck on your move and have a nice stay anyway. Ann
  
  Ann