I don't know about cats or pets in France, but we get our dogs through an adoption agency. They find people who have to give up their pets for one reason or another (they're moving, they can't afford to keep the dog anymore, one of the kids has developed severe allergies, etc) and match them up with people looking for pets. We had to fill out a profile and have interviews and all sorts of stuff.
There are orginizations devoted to general pet adoption and even some dedicated to specific breeds. Most are local, though they sometimes work together.
We got our last dog through our
local Golden Retriever agency . We got a good, loving, healthy dog who was already past the crazed puppy stage and already housebroken. The family we adopted her from got the security of knowing that their beloved pet was going to a good home with a family who would care for her well.
We have also adopted through a shelter, but the dog we got was from a family who was considering giving their dog to the shelter.
We've also considered websites such as
Petfinder , but never really got too far with them. Worth a try, though.
Like I said, I'm not sure how it works in France, but I wouldn't be surprised to discover that there were similar websites and agencies. You still get a pet in need of a home (rather than buying one from a breeder or a pet store), but you don't have to worry quite as much about the health risks in a shelter.
Paul
