Missing cats and dogs in France: official advice, scams and who to contact

A Connexion reader in south-west France has raised the alarm about missing pets after her own disappeared this summer.

Kim Deakins’s cat, Ronnie, went missing from Soumensac (Lot-et-Garonne) on June 2. 

“Since then I have registered with every animal charity on Facebook – around 18,” she says. “It struck me on checking these lists every day that there is a ridiculous number of cats and dogs going missing. What is happening to these pets?”

An estimated 75,000 pets go missing in France every year. 

And pet scams are not uncommon. They usually involve people preying on owners who have lost pets, contacting them with information often gleaned from missing posts on Facebook. 

Police have issued warnings of people claiming to have found lost pets, then demanding money for their safe return, something Ms Deakins has experienced personally. 

“I have been approached by three scammers since my cat disappeared and I have been publishing my details on Facebook. I have had two clairvoyants offering to find my cat, if I pay money upfront.”

Keeping pet safe

There are several things owners can do to keep their pets safe. 

First, it is worth registering your pet on I-CAD, France’s pet database, which stores pet and owner information, such as microchip details and the owner’s address. It is used for dogs, cats and ferrets and consulted by services including animal shelters, the police, vets, breeders and pet shops.

Owners can also use it to report missing, stolen or found pets. 

Pets can be registered for free, or €11 if the pet was brought to France from overseas. Registration can be requested at a vets. (There may be a fee for the vet appointment.) 

Animals must be registered on the I-CAD database to get an EU pet passport in France. 

Other precautions owners can take include not leaving your dog alone or tied up unsupervised, and investing in a strong and secure lead that fits the dog well. 

Who to contact if your pet goes missing

Report any loss or theft to I-CAD if your pet is registered, and make sure your contact details are up to date on the website at the same time. You will need to provide your pet’s identification number, which can be found on its identification card. If you do not have the number, your vet should be able to give it to you.

Next, spread the word about your missing pet. Social media can be a good resource here – especially posting on groups dedicated to missing pets. Many are split into separate departments. 

I-CAD recommends posting on Filalapat Facebook groups. Filalapat is the official app linked to I-CAD, where people can post about lost or found animals in France. 

Let your local vet, animal shelter and neighbours also know to keep a look out for your pet. 

Pet Alert France has Facebook pages for every department, where owners can post details of missing pets. This paid service will post missing information on a range of social media for owners. 

If you find a lost animal, it is worth checking with neighbours, local vets or animal shelters to see if it has been reported missing. You could use the same resources as above, such as local Facebook groups, to report a found animal.

Vets and animal welfare associations often have microchip readers, which allow them to look up the animal on the I-CAD list and find the owner’s contact details if they have registered. If you obtain the animal’s identification number, you can report that you have found it with I-CAD.