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PEOPLE IN FRANCE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BUY PETS “IMPULSIVELY”, HARSHER PENALTIES SHOULD APPLY FOR ANIMAL CRUELTY, AND THERE SHOULD BE A SPECIAL HOTLINE TO REPORT MISTREATMENT, A FRENCH MP

HAS SAID IN A NEW REPORT. Loïc Dombreval, MP of the Alpes-Maritimes and president of the animal welfare group _Condition Animale_, submitted the 300-page report of 120 recommendations to

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and the _Assemblée Nationale_ this week (Tuesday June 23). The main proposals focus on four key areas: ANIMAL CRUELTY LAWS The MP said that currently laws in

France are more severe for people who damage property than for someone who hurts an animal. He told NEWS SERVICE _FRANCEINFO_: “If I break a statue, I can get up to five years in prison and

a €75,000 fine. If I voluntarily kill a dog, that risks two years [in prison] and [a fine of] €30,000. There is a disconnect that I find completely astonishing, which we must correct.”

BUYING LAWS Mr Dombreval would also like to make impulse buying of a pet illegal. He said: “Buying a cat or dog in 30 seconds in a pet shop, in a supermarket car park, in a market or at an

exhibition, under pressure from your kids, without really knowing what you’re doing, because the dog is not right for you because you don’t live in a good place for a dog...there are so many

reasons [not to do it]. “I want for this marriage to not be followed by divorce, so we must improve things. Facebook, _Leboncoin_...all these general internet sites or animal shops, where

you get impulse buys - we must make sure that they are limited.” MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE CERTIFICATE The proposals include requiring would-be pet owners to pass a “certificate of minimum

knowledge” before buying an animal, to help ensure they understand what they are doing before they buy. Mr Dombreval said: “It would be a little test on the things you absolutely must know:

How much does it cost [to own a pet]? What do we need to do? How does it work? Some people don’t know that, and that leads to abandonment or mistreatment, sometimes through negligence,

ignorance, lack of knowledge. “This would be free, before you buy an animal. If you fail it, you can take it again straight away. In this way, you have three, four ideas of what is

absolutely necessary to know, before you look after an animal.” MISTREATMENT HOTLINE The proposals also suggest the creation of a special telephone number - a _numéro vert_ - that people can

call if they see or suspect anyone of cruelty or mistreatment towards animals. Mr Dombreval said: “You never know who to call, who to speak to, when there is a problem, when you see acts of

mistreatment against a dog or a cat. They are part of your family, some see them as members of the family, and you must treat them in that way. “To be able to call someone quickly, to flag

up an act of mistreatment or neglect on an animal, is something that also seems very important to me to be able to improve [animals’] condition.” Abandonment of animals is a contentious

topic in France. A shock campaign last year, from animal welfare charity _30 Millions d'Amis_, revealed that the country has the highest number of abandoned domestic animals in Europe,

at 100,000 per year. READ MORE: FRANCE RECORD FOR ABANDONED PETS, SHOWS SHOCK CAMPAIGN The high numbers of abandonment have led multiple animal charities to warn that shelters can easily

become overwhelmed with cats and dogs that are left in rubbish bins, or tied to fences at the side of the road. RELATED STORIES FRENCH ANIMAL RESCUE GROUP WARNS OVER ABANDONED PETS 8000 PETS

'ABANDONED IN FRANCE THIS SUMMER' AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD IS FRANCE’S FAVOURITE DOG...AGAIN CAT OWNERS IN FRANCE RISK €135 FINE IF PET NOT CHIPPED SITE HELPS OWNERS PLAN DOG-FRIENDLY

TRIPS IN FRANCE DOG OWNERS IN SOUTH OF FRANCE WARNED OF INCURABLE DISEASE CORONAVIRUS: CELEBRITIES URGE MACRON TO HELP ANIMALS FRANCE CHANGES CONFINEMENT RULES TO ALLOW PET ADOPTION