Waht to do if you FIND an animal in France

[Chrissie]

We have now "found" and returned to their owners 3 animals which we found WITH TATTOOS.  I was recently surprised to find that other people don't know how to do this, so thought I would post this as I haven't seen it specifically mentioned elsewhere.  Could Forum Admin make this message a "Sticky" please?.... (and hopefully correct the spelling error in the title!!!)

 

The number for dogs is 01 49 37 54 54 (Société Centrale Canine).  It is closed on Sundays and I think most of Saturdays too.  They will tell you the name and details of the registered owner, and will follow this up in writing.

 

Cats are 01 44 93 30 30 ( Fichier National Félin).  Sorry, I don't know their hours/procedure as have never found a lost, tattoed cat yet! But I imagine it's similar.

 

Chrissie (81)

 

 

 

[Christine Animal]

Also vets and most refuges can access both fichiers by minitel and get the owner's details, which is useful when the Société Centrale Canine and the Fichier National Félin are closed.

If an animal does not have a tattoo the vet can check if it is microchipped.

[Will]

Thanks for that advice, we'll probably move it to the FAQs at some stage where it can be found for easy reference.

On a vaguely similar topic, what is the correct procedure in France if an animal is found that has neither tattoo nor microchip? (I ask because am currently sharing the house with kind but soft-hearted Mrs C, infinite numbers of cats and three dogs - latest of which was found wandering aimlessly with a bad case of mange. I think we have done the right things, by contacting vets, and the communes near where he was found. Fortunately it looks as if we may have a new home for him when sorted out, neutered and passported, but it would be nice to know if there is a correct procedure)

[Christine Animal]

Good for you Will, you've saved another one.

If you find a pet without any identity, two solutions :

The first, which is to be avoided if possible, is to take it to a fourrière or a refuge.  The fourrière (pound) will keep it for eight days, sometimes longer if they are not full.  Only the owner can claim the animal, otherwise it is put down.  They can now be handed over to a refuge under certain conditions, but this is not always possible as the refuges are also usually full.

The refuge may also put the animal down after the necessary delay, if they do not have room to keep it, or they make put another one down to make room for the new one.  Obviously this is not their role and they generally do their best to take animals and rehome them.

If you are able to keep the animal, please inform the local mairie, gendarmerie, refuges, vets who may have been contacted by the owner.  Put ads in the local shops, newspapers etc.  If the owner is not found, then you may either keep the animal yourself or try to rehome it, after having it identified by tattoo or microchip (obligatory for handing an animal over to someone else).

 

Edit :  I was always told that you could keep a dog you had found at your home as long as you had declared it at the mairie (I suppose to prove that you had not stolen it).  I have just found the text below.  It says that the tattoos on dogs have 3 letters and 3 numbers, but the recent tattoos now have a number in front of the first three letters. 

ANIMAL TROUVÉ

Si vous trouvez un animal, vérifiez d'abord s'il est tatoué et relevez :

• les 3 lettres et les 3 chiffres qui constituent le tatouage d'un chien
• les 2 chiffres et les 4 lettres, s'il s'agit d'un chat.

Ce tatouage est généralement fait sur la face interne de l'oreille ou de la cuisse. Un nettoyage à l'alcool est parfois nécessaire pour lire le tatouage.

• pour un chien tatoué : 01 49 37 54 54
• pour un chat tatoué : 01 55 01 08 08, ou 3615 FELITEL, ou www.FNF.fr
• pour un cheval : 02 31 31 54 22
• à la gendarmerie et au commissariat de police
• à la fourrière de votre commune
• au Service de Recherches de la SPA : 01 47 98 43 72.
  

Il se peut que le chien ou le chat possède une puce électronique d'identification, il est nécessaire alors de se déplacer chez un vétérinaire, ou à la gendarmerie, à la police, ou vers un refuge qui disposent d'un appareil de lecture.

On vous donnera les coordonnées du propriétaire que vous aviserez aussitôt.
Si l'animal n'est pas tatoué et ne porte aucune adresse sur lui, appelez le Service des recherches de la SPA : 01 47 98 43 72.

Prévenez le commissariat de police ou la gendarmerie ou l'association locale de protection animale, en leur demandant de noter votre appel et vos coordonnées, de manière que vous ne puissiez être accusé du vol de l'animal si vous avez décidé de le garder.

Si vous ne souhaitez pas garder cet animal non tatoué et non identifiable, même provisoirement, conduisez-le au refuge le plus proche, pour lui éviter une mise en fourrière et l'euthanasie.

Il arrive qu'un animal errant soit difficile à capturer, parce qu'il a peur ou parce qu'il est menaçant. Ce sont les maires qui sont compétents pour les mesures à prendre, en vertu des Articles L.211-21 du Code rural et L.131-8 du Code des communes.
Vous devez donc alerter les services municipaux ; mais il en résultera pour l'animal une mise en fourrière et sa mise à mort ultérieure, s'il n'est pas repris par son propriétaire ou placé dans un refuge par la fourrière. Quand l'animal a été capturé, proposez-vous si cela est possible, pour l'emmener dans un refuge ou téléphonez à la SPA pour qu'elle vienne le chercher.

La gendarmerie ou les pompiers acceptent parfois de récupérer un animal dangereux ou se trouvant dans une situation fâcheuse.

 

 

[Christine Animal]

The number above for the Fichier National Félin is correct as I have the number on a very recent tattoo card  01 55 01 08 08.

[Chrissie]

Thanks for the updated Cat number, which I have noted.  (I took the number from our last cat's tattoo card just last October, so must be a recent change.)

Chrissie (81)

[RayB]

[quote]Good for you Will, you've saved another one. If you find a pet without any identity, two solutions : The first, which is to be avoided if possible, is to take it to a fourrière or a refuge. The fou...[/quote]

You mentioned the Mairie. About a year ago we had a well-kept Golden Lab show-up in our courtyard. The first thing we did was ask at the Mairie. The Maire, who is also a personal friend came over and took a picture of it and then showed up in about two hours with a mother and two very sad young girls. Bingo!

Apparently, the local procedure around here, and maybe elsewhere, is to contact various Mairies in a certain radius when a pet goes missing. This one was from a town about six miles away and just roamed off. Why is a long story but it had a quick and happy ending.

[Christine Animal]

Yes, you are right Ray, it's best to contact all the mairies in your area (it's amazing how many miles a dog can cover in a short time), but especially the mairie of your own commune so that you are covered for having declared it.

Chrissie, yes it must be a recent change as I have just checked on an older card and it is the number you gave.  I have just tried it and it says that it is no longer "attribué".