The SPA de la Loue shelter in Montluçon is full. In the boxes of the structure: twenty-five dogs, thirty-two cats and three guinea pigs. “We have a lot of animals in this period and few adoptions”, underlines Delphine Michaud, the responsible.
As a result, “We can’t take in any more animals. We can’t take in any more abandoned animals. We even have a waiting list. So in practical terms, as soon as a box becomes available, it fills up just as quickly.”
Adoptions “on impulse” not necessarily responsible
This beginning of the year 2022 seems to be in the continuity of the year that has just passed.
“The number of adoptions was stable in 2021, with between 492 and 500 adoptions. But unfortunately, we took in many more animals than we did in 2020.”
delphine michaud (in charge of the shelter)
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The shelter registers fifty-five dogs and a hundred cats in addition over the year. Is this the consequence of the “love at first sight” adoptions, not necessarily responsible, decided since the beginning of the health crisis?
The manager doesn’t really know, but she does note: “Many say that it is indeed due to the confinements. But what I see is that we have a whole bunch of young, crazy dogs, often with hyperactive temperaments. Some of them must have been Christmas presents… Except that a dog is a lot of work, you have to educate him. It’s not only happiness, there are also disadvantages that go with it. And people realize that they can’t do it.”Some animals are still waiting to be adopted.
An impressive number of kittens
In the same way, the team of the SPA takes in an enormous number of kittens. “It is dramatic! And it’s clear that the explanation is that people don’t have their cats sterilized. As a result, a lot of litters are brought to us. Some being, as every year, to the great despair of the person in charge, abandoned, in a box, in front of the gate of the refuge.
But despite everything, Delphine Michaud has some reasons to be satisfied.
“In the majority of cases, our adoptions go well. We still have 5-7% of the animals that come back but we are making progress, especially because we are extremely vigilant.”
Delphine Michaud (in charge of the SPA shelter)
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“We refuse some adoptions because we want responsible adoptions. This makes us have fewer and fewer returns.”
The shelter is currently closed to the public. “We made this decision for our animals. We have a team of eight paid staff and about ten active volunteers, so it was absolutely necessary to avoid having too many Covid patients among those caring for the animals. So it was absolutely necessary to avoid having too many Covid patients among those who take care of the animals.” But the shelter should reopen soon. This will help to re-launch the adoptions.
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Laura Morel
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