Animal Information for the French Riviera

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Information for owners of pets on the French Riviera, with information on local pet refuges and lost pets.

For full details on the laws of pet ownership, vaccinations, pet health, dangerous dogs and animals lost and found:

See AngloINFO INFOrmation Page, Owning Pet Animals in France
Or Essential Animal Information for Monaco

Emergency Vet Services

Sadly the laws of the Ordre des Vétérinaires prohibit AngloINFO from publishing a list of English speaking vets.

Emergency veterinary: Alpes-Maritimes (after hours, Sundays and holidays) Tel: 04 93 83 46 64

Fréjus area: Emergency Vet (SOS Vétérinaires) Tel: 04 94 51 51 47

Toulon area: SOS Vétérinaires Tel: 04 94 88 31 88
Tel: 04 98 00 93 64

Animal Organisations France

SPA France website
The ODAA Office Départemental de l'Action Animaliere has useful information (in French) and contact numbers for all local animal refuge centres, vets and animal protection organisations.
Tel: 04 97 18 69 28
30 Millions d'Amis is an excellent French website with useful information on laws and tips on animal ownership (all in French).

French Riviera animal shelters and rescue centres (refuges)

To adopt an animal from a shelter (refuge) take proof of identity (passport or Carte de Séjour) and proof of address (a recent utility bill such as electricity or telephone bill). All shelters charge an adoption fee and most allow a one-month trial period during which you may return the animal and be refunded if the rehoming has not worked out.

English is not spoken at most of these animal shelters.

Refuge Jean Duflos (Association Union Protectrice des Animaux d'Antibes, UPA)
At: 1770 Chemin des Terriers, Antibes (privately managed shelter next to Animalis and Decathlon. Cats and dogs available for adoption)
Tel/Fax: 04 93 33 14 14
Website
Refuge l'Espoir (Association Société Protectrice des Animaux de Grasse, SPA)
At: Parc de la Valmasque, Route d'Antibes, Mougins (between Sophia Antipolis and Mougins. Cats and dogs available for adoption)
Tel: 04 93 65 44 11
SPACA Vence, Refuge des Collines (Association Sauvetage Protection Animaux Côte d'Azur de Vence)
At: 3192 Chemin Riou, Vence (above Vence town on the road to the Col de Vence. Dogs - some very large breeds - available for adoption)
Tel/Fax: 04 93 24 08 45
Refuge Lady Yule (Société Protectrice des Animaux, SPA)
At: 403 Chemin du Refuge, Mougins (vast dog refuge between Mougins and Cannes)
Tel: 04 93 45 29 22
Fax: 04 93 46 13 84
Les Chats de Stella, Refuge Gireau (Cats available for adoption)
At: 1460 Ancien chemin de la Gaude, Vence
Tel/Fax: 04 93 24 09 85
Website
Le Refuge de Flassans (Refuge SAM)
See the website for directions to this English-speaking Var refuge (Dogs for adoption)
Tel: 06 20 57 91 34
Website
Les Chats du Mercantour
Kittens and cats available for adoption. All checked free of Feline Aids and Feline Leukemia
At: 32, rue Droite, St-Etienne de Tinée
Tel: 06 18 94 35 76 / 04 93 02 33 41
e-mail
e-mail (English-speaking contact)
Website
For more dog, cat and bird shelters in the PACA region: Click here

Riviera animals lost and found

Contact APOT Lost & Found
At: APOT. 27 Bd Paul Montel, 06200 Nice.
Tel: 0800 037 016
Notify the local police, pompiers and vets in the area the animal was lost
Put up notices (with a photograph of the pet, if possible) in the vets, Mairie and shops of the area it went missing
Contact the local animal shelters in the area (see French Riviera Refuges/Rescue Centres above)
See ODAA for further information: Click here (in French)
Post a message and picture to chien-perdu, a nationwide bulletin board advertising lost and found dogs: Click here (in French)

If an animal has been found

If the animal has a tattoo contact the national central register. Or take it to the nearest vet who will be able to read the microchip number and notify the central registry.

The National Dog Register (Fichier National Canin) of National Cat & Ferret Register (Fichier National Félin)
Notify the local police, pompiers and vets in the area the animal was found supplying a full description and the tattoo number if the animal has one (usually stamped inside the ear or on the inner thigh)

These organisations may have a record of the owner and will contact them, giving them your contact details.

If the animal has no tattoo, or you are unable to look after it while the owner is found, take it to your local animal shelter. See ODAA for a list of local refuges.
If you do this, make sure that the police, pompiers and vets know where you have taken the animal.