A major law regarding pets in France is going viral on social media. According to this law, if someone abandons their pet, they may face a massive fine of 30,000 euros or up to two years in jail. According to the laws of France, pets are not disposable things; they are living beings. A person who decides to keep a pet has a responsibility for the lifelong care of that pet. If someone wants to own a pet, they must go through a process and obtain a certificate for owning a pet.
If you want a pet in France and later abandon it, you may face a huge fine. This law has come into focus because the number of abandoned pets has been increasing in France. Pets are not things that can be kept for interest or dumped once the need or excitement is gone. Pets should be treated as family members. If someone is not ready to take lifelong responsibility, then they are not capable of keeping a pet. Therefore, laws regarding pets are becoming stricter in France.
A few years ago, laws regarding the selling and buying of pets in France were restricted because pet ownership was increasing rapidly. However, the main concern was not ownership itself, but the rising number of abandoned pets. For the fairness and safety of animals, the French government decided to put restrictions on buying and selling pets to control the situation. Still, pet abandonment did not stop.
In 2020, a 300-page bill was presented in Parliament. One part of the bill focused on pet abandonment and animal welfare laws. It described issues such as illegal trafficking, irresponsible buying and selling of pets, and abandoning pets during their middle or old age, which leads to serious survival problems for animals. When a pet is raised in a family, it becomes used to care, food, and affection from its owners. If it is suddenly abandoned, its survival instincts fail, and many pets die as a result.
Because of this, the government decided to strengthen the law. After several years, the bill gained attention again, and by the end of December 2025, people started discussing it widely. When the bill was first presented, it stated that abandoning a pet would result in a fine of 30,000 euros or two years in jail. If a pet dies due to abandonment or owner irresponsibility, the owner could face a fine of 75,000 euros and three years in jail.
Although this law was proposed in 2020, for many years it did not receive much attention. Suddenly, in December 2025, the topic went viral on social media. Many Facebook and Instagram pages related to pets and animals are sharing this information, claiming that France is going to enforce this law strictly. However, as of now, no major media houses or official government sources have strongly confirmed the enforcement.
According to the circulating information, France is planning to strictly enforce laws related to pet ownership. If someone abandons a pet, they may face a 30,000-euro fine and two years in jail, and if the pet dies, the punishment may increase to a 75,000-euro fine and three years in jail. Additionally, owning a pet will require certification, and owners will be legally responsible for the lifelong care of their pets. Pets cannot be abandoned midway under any circumstances.
