France: bringing home a dog or cat, the checklist

An individual can only sell an adult dog or cat, and only occasionally. Selling in pet shops has been banned since January 1, 2024; adoption there remains possible with an association.

A breeder keeps at least one breeding female and sells at least one puppy or kitten born from her. Without a Siret, the litter must be declared to the stud book.

An individual cannot sell online, only offer animals free of charge. Never agree to pay fees not announced in the initial offer.

Every offer, paid or free, must also say whether the animal is registered in a stud book and how many litters the breeding had in the year.

It is issued by someone holding the Acaced or an equivalent, for example a vet. It describes the animal’s needs and what it costs, for its whole life.

The seller must check that you signed it at least 7 days earlier. It is mandatory for every dog or cat, even adopted free or given by an individual.

Younger, it is separated too early from its mother, with risks of health and behavior problems.

Identification is done by the seller, at their expense, in the national register of identified domestic carnivores (I-Cad).

The vet certificate states in particular the identification, vaccinations, any sterilization and, for a pedigree animal, the birth declaration to the stud book.

The seller must give it to you at the handover.

You then receive from the I-Cad the animal’s identification card in your name.

That is what allows you to be reached if the animal is lost or stolen.

The water must be renewed as often as needed and protected from frost in winter; the bowls must always be clean.

For a dog in an enclosure: at least 5 m², with a shaded area, cleaned and cleared of droppings every day.

Placed on soil, it requires for the dog at least 2 m² of hard, waterproof floor, or of slatted flooring.

The chain slides on a cable (2.50 m at least) or is fixed to a single point (3 m). The collar cannot be the chain or a choke collar.

It is forbidden to shut an animal in a trunk without effective ventilation.

Service Public recommends it: stray cats have a shorter life expectancy and produce many litters of abandoned kittens.

The departmental health regulation generally requires it in town; the mayor can ban certain places; in forests, off the paths, a leash is mandatory from April 15 to June 30.

Letting a dog roam can cost €150. A cat roams if it is not identified and more than 200 m from homes, or more than 1,000 m from yours without supervision.

A €750 fine if caught in the act.

No insurance is compulsory except for category 1 and 2 dogs (€450 fine without insurance), but you answer for the damage caused, even by an escaped animal.

They are stricter: leash, muzzle, access banned to certain public places.

It is on the I-Cad card; your vet can also give it to you. It is needed to declare the loss.

The declaration alerts vets, pounds and associations. Not yet registered? The I-Cad can register you temporarily as keeper, for 2 months.

The “Around me” function of the I-Cad’s Filalapat app finds vets, shelters, pounds and found animals.

After that, the animal is considered abandoned and becomes the property of the operator. You pay the boarding costs.