PARIS, April 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France has decided to allow people outside to adopt a pet from animal shelters, despite strict home confinement measures to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
The interior ministry announced that “tolerance will be granted”
for the mercy missions after a call from the Animal Protection
Society (SPA).
The society shut its 62 centres to the public in line with official decrees
to limit contact three weeks ago.
But the SPA urged a re-think and warned of overcrowding with
thousands of animals waiting for a new home.
“Fully behind the cause of animal welfare, the government has heard the
SPA’s call and immediately shown the heart to find a sensible solution,” said
Interior Minister Christophe Castaner.
“It has been decided that tolerance will be granted for travel to adopt
animals from shelters,” the ministry said in a statement.
However, it added a series of restrictions including selecting the pet
online and making an appointment for it to be collected by a single person.
“This will enable the rules to be respected and to save the lives of
numerous animals,” the ministry added.
“We have 5,000 animals in our shelters and a capacity of 6,000,” said SPA
president Jacques-Charles Fombonne.
France has recorded more than 13,000 coronavirus deaths. — NNN-AGENCIES
