Keeping a pet in France

From cute, fluffy dogs to snakes and other reptiles, you can find all sorts of pets in France. But whether you’re planning on bringing a pet when you move to France or adopting one from a shelter, you’ll need to follow the country’s pet rules. It also helps to know where to find supplies, support, and veterinary care for your pets wherever you live in France.

Read on to find out more about:

Is France a pet-friendly country?

France has a strong pet-friendly culture. At with 74 million pets in France in 2022, visit a French home and chances are you’ll meet a pet of some kind. That’s more than one pet per person and around 2.5 pets per household. France also ranks 3^rd out of 51 on the Dog-Friendly Country Index.

This large quantity is due in part to the popularity of fish, which often feature in multiples. Over one-third of total pets (29.1 million) in France are fish. The other most popular pets in France in 2022 were:

• Cats (14.9 million)
• Barnyard birds (11.2 million)
• Dogs (7.6 million)
• Birds (5.8 million)
• Small mammals (2.87 million)
• Terrarium (2.1 million)

In terms of animal rights, France scores a C on the World Animal Protection Index (scale A–G), with a D in pet welfare.

France is home to several prominent animal welfare organizations and charities, such as 30 Millions d’Amis and Société Protecrice des Animaux (Society for the Protection of Animals – SPA). These organizations are at the forefront of advocating for pet welfare and are instrumental in promoting responsible pet ownership in the country.

French pet laws

France has a more hands-off approach to pets than some countries, and you might find that there are fewer rules on ownership and control of pets than you’re used to. For example, pets are allowed in most public places and on public transport. You can also bring your pet to France, up to five animals, when moving from abroad.

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Some of the main pet laws in France include:

• Dogs and cats must be microchipped or tattooed for identification
• You cannot buy or sell puppies or kittens aged under eight weeks
• Dogs must be kept on a leash in public areas, and stay with 100 meters of owners when off leashes
• There is a maximum limit of nine dogs per household in France
• Dogs, cats, and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies

Restricted breeds are split into category one (including pit bulls and mastiffs) and category two (including American staffordshires and rottweilers). Owners must have a detention permit confirming they have attended a seven-hour training course and the dog has had behavioral training. They must also muzzle these dogs in public and take out liability insurance. Category one dogs should be sterilized.

There has been a lack of regulation, with legal provisions concerning pets mainly featuring as part of broader acts. However, France passed new legislation in 2021 with harsher pet abandonment and cruelty penalties. All pets in France must have sufficient space, shelter, ventilation, and food.

Getting a pet in France

If you’re ready to welcome a pet into your family in France, you have a few options. You can buy from a store or breeder, adopt from a shelter, and even foster if you’re not ready for the full commitment.

Buying a pet in France

You can buy pets in France from pet stores, breeders, or private individuals. As of 2024, dogs and cats are no longer sold in stores in France, but you can still buy reptiles, fish, and rodents.

If you buy a dog or cat from a private seller, you should get the following information:

• The animal’s age
• Its breed or type
• The registration ID confirming their entry into the National Identification File of Domestic Carnivores (Identification des Carnivores Domestiques – ICAD)
• A vet certificate confirming state of health and up-to-date medical and vaccination information
• A certificate of transfer confirming the sale

It’s advisable to get a sales contract that details the rights and obligations of both buyer and seller. If you buy from a registered breeder in France, you should also get the breeder’s license number and confirmation of the animal’s pedigree.

If you buy a horse, pony, or donkey, you must declare it to the French Institute of Horse and Horseback Riding (L’Institut français du cheval et de l’équitation – IFCE) for identification.

Adopting from French shelters and rescue services

With 100,000 to 200,000 pets abandoned yearly, France has a reputation for leaving animals behind. Thankfully, many animal shelters and rescue organizations across the country offer opportunities to adopt pets.

The adoption process is mainly similar to buying a pet in France in terms of what you receive regarding information and paperwork. You will usually need to provide ID plus proof of address, such as a recent utility bill. The organization may also want to interview you and possibly visit your home to assess suitability.

The cost of animal adoption in France varies. Some organizations may take small donations; others charge set amounts. It’s not unusual to pay around €100 for a dog or cat from a French animal shelter.

If you want to adopt a pet in France, you should first contact a local vet or SPA office. Other organizations that deal with pet adoption are:

• Hope Association
• Second Chance
• 30 Millions d’Amis
• Asso En Route

Fostering a pet in France

Many French animal shelters and charities also offer opportunities for pet fostering, where you look after an animal for a limited period. This could be short-term fostering, fostering with the intent to adopt, or caring for an older or sick pet at the end of its life. It’s a great way to get some companionship while deciding whether to adopt a pet eventually.

Typically, you must meet the same requirements as adopting a pet in France. Some shelters or fostering services may have minimum residency requirements, such as a French permanent residence permit.

Guide or assistance dogs in France

French law states that registered guide or assistance dogs are allowed in all public places, including shops, public transport, schools, offices, and more.

To qualify for a guide dog in France, you only need two things: 1) paperwork from your doctor confirming a medical diagnosis and 2) paperwork from a training school certifying that the dog is properly educated. The medical conditions that allow you to use a service dog include visual, motor, and hearing impairments, as well as diabetes, epilepsy, and autism.

L’association des Chiens Guides d’Aveugles d’Île-de-France (the Île-de-France Guide Dogs for the Blind Association) has a step-by-step process (in French) for connecting people with visual impairments and trained guide dogs.

Insurance for pets in France

Pet insurance is mostly an optional consideration in France, apart from restricted dog breeds that must be covered by liability insurance. This could be as part of a general liability insurance policy or as standalone pet liability insurance coverage.

The other main form of pet insurance available is health insurance. This is a worthwhile consideration to cover the costs of vet bills in France. You should check coverage levels before choosing a policy, for example does it cover chronic and hereditary conditions?

Insurance companies in France offering coverage for pets include:

• Agria
• AXA
• GMF
• Luko

French pet healthcare

Veterinary services

Vets (vétérinaires) in France provide a wide range of services including:

• Medical tests
• Administering or prescribing medication
• Surgical procedures
• Vaccinations
• Microchipping
• Treatment of illness or injury
• Issuing pet passports and animal health certificates
• Tick removal and prevention
• Neutering and spaying
• Blood tests and x-rays

Vets in France need a professional license and should be members of the National Order of Veterinarians (Ordre Nationale des Vétérinaires). You can find a directory of licensed vets in France on their website. Other ways of finding vets in France includes general directories such as Pages Jaunes. You can look for English-speaking vets in France on the Driving With Dogs website.

Vaccinations

Although rabies vaccinations are not mandatory for pets already living in France, they are for those being imported into the country.

Birds imported to France from outside the EU/EFTA will need either a vaccination against avian flu or other measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

There are a number of other optional vaccinations available through vets in France. Most cost between €15 and €60. Recommended vaccinations for dogs include:

• Babesia Canis
• Hepatitis Contagiosa Canis
• Distemper
• Leptospirosis
• Parvovirus
• Kennel cough
• Piroplasmosis (tick-borne disease)

Vaccinations available for cats include:

• Typhus
• Feline Gastroentiritis
• Leukosis
• Chlamydia
• Feline Influenza (coryza)

French pet supply shops

France has a variety of pet stores, both in-person and online. Some shops sell small pets and retail other products such as pet food, accessories, equipment, clothing, bedding and toys. Some of the best known pet store chains in France are Zooplus, MaxiPet, and Wanimo.

Other pet services in France

You can find a variety of supplementary pet services in France. This includes:

• Dog walking services
• Pet sitting, both short- and long-term
• Daycare
• Training
• Pet portraits
• Grooming services

Search for local services on the PetBacker website.

Lost pets in France

If you’ve lost a pet in France, don’t panic. There are several ways to look for your furry friend or search for the owner if you’ve found a potentially lost pet.

Firstly, if a dog, cat, or ferret has been microchipped, you can contact I-cad. Microchips help locate lost pets and notify owners that their pet has been found.

You can also contact local veterinary offices, the police, and animal shelters. If you find a lost pet, a vet or police officer will take your contact details and may also be able to help find the owner. Most shelters will be willing to take the pet from you and look after it until the owner shows up or it finds a new home. You can search for animal shelters and rescue services through the SPA.

For lost dogs, you can put up an ad and search through ads on the Lost Dog (Chien Perdu) website.

You can also try any local social media forums as well as putting up advertisements in your local neighborhood. Don’t forget to include a recent photograph and your contact details.

An additional preventative measure other than microchipping your pet is fastening a name tag to its collar that includes its name and your contact details if it is found.

Selling a pet in France

If you have a pet in France that you can no longer keep, you should try to find the animal a new home with a responsible owner.

If you own a female pet that’s had a litter of purebred puppies or kittens you’re unable to keep, you would be considered a breeder if you attempt to sell them. In this case, you can register as a business in order to sell the animals.

Since the rules are very strict for selling pets in France, your best course of action is likely to give the pet away instead.

Useful resources

• National Order of Veterinarians (Ordre Nationale des Vétérinaires) – membership organization for vets in France where you can search for licensed vets
• National Identification File of Domestic Carnivores (Identification des Carnivores Domestiques – I-cad) – registration database for pets in France (in French)
• Wamiz – website with information for pet owners in France (in French)
• Sante.fr – a list of non-profit organizations working with guide dogs in France
• Service-Public.fr ownership rules – French government portal with information on keeping pets in France