It’s Christmas before the hour at the Montpellier SPA. Santa hats, homemade cake stands by volunteers and toys for animals are on offer all weekend in the Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone refuge. After two years of cancellation due to covid, these open houses are also an opportunity to collect donations for the association and find new teachers for boarders.
– Virginie vandeville
About a hundred dogs and thirty cats are offered for adoption for this pre-holiday weekend. And it has something for all tastes, small, large, hairy, calm and energetic. A tough choice for some visitors. Cassandre and Mathieu walk around all of the dog boxes, their gaze fixed each time on the sign that describes the animal. But the crush arrives quickly. “Fonzy, he’s a little funny, playful, very athletic. He doesn’t like to be alone” reads Mathieu aloud. “He’s too nice, he licks me”, the 30-something smiles while looking at his partner. Mathieu must have had a hard time getting started. “Adopting an animal is reflected” he assures. “We are looking for a life companion for my grandfather. So that he can go out and face walks,” assures Cassandre who would do well with a dog at home.
Sylvie had no doubts. No procrastination with this woman. “I knew that new cats were coming to the SPA. I took advantage of the open house and ran into her. I knew it was her “. She is Minette, a five-year-old long-haired cat. “She is awesome, she is too beautiful with all her colors and then she is so cuddly. She will be the queen of the house“, explains Sylvie, who leaves in a few minutes with the kitten well installed in her small transport cage.
– Virginie vandeville
Give them a second life
Making them into kings and queens is also the goal of Kévin and all his little family. This father has matured his choice. He finally launched this Saturday, his birthday. “We had spotted Sally, a dog, on the SPA website and when we saw her in her cage, the crush was confirmed. I’m a little scared but I had dogs in my childhood so there is no reason that we do not know how to do “, says Estelle, his partner. The 5-year-old dog, found a little over a month ago by the SPA pound, will perhaps have the right to years of happiness. Anyway, one of the couple’s daughters, Léana 6 years old, already has big plans for her. “I’m going to show him my room and then the garden”.
This adoption is also a militant gesture for Kévin. “It was important to take a female dog to the SPA. When we hear about the dropouts, it hurts my heart. I want to give her a second life”, assures the young man officially owner of Sally in a few minutes.
– Virginie vandeville
A 30% increase in dropouts in 2021
Adoptions controlled by the SPA. “We do not give our dogs to just anyone. If we have any doubts about someone, we check. We can even go to his home. An adoption is for life. We take it for fifteen years. “, confirms Annie Annie Benezech, director of the Montpellier SPA. The association which has faced a record year of abandonment of dogs and cats with an increase of 30%. “We are used to an increase in dropouts during the summer but there we continued to have in September, October and last November. I have never seen this in 20 years. And especially animals in very bad condition: thin, injured, sick. It is a great sadness and we need help. We really rely on the public “.