Cats killed in Gers: an association denounces the poor treatment of stray animals

“Animals are not objects”: this message, relayed by animal protection associations, particularly resonates in Gers, where the recent death of several cats in Monblanc arouses indignation. A tragedy revealed by the Cat Gang, which shocks and challenges: why come to this?

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Since 2019, this association and its volunteers have worked to protect, welcome, sterilize and find a home for cats, without being an official shelter. “We receive around ten calls per day,” says Liliane Broussard, president of the organization. Depending on the season, requests vary, a timely reminder as the holidays approach: “Giving a cat or other animal for Christmas is not a good idea.”

A growing demand for solicitation

The association's challenge lies not so much in the number of calls, but in the complexity of the necessary interventions, which involve cash flow, logistics and coordination with veterinarians. “People demand speed in our interventions; as soon as they call us, they believe that the problem is elsewhere and that they are relieved of all responsibility,” adds Magali, member of the Gang des catous office. Today, the association works with several municipalities with which it has signed an agreement to carry out operations.

However, if municipalities have a legal obligation to take care of stray animals, the reality is more complicated. “Too many people still see kittens or puppies as simple cute companions, without understanding the importance of their long-term well-being,” emphasizes Liliane Broussard. She also denounces the lack of resources granted by the State to communities: “Small town halls do not have the means to finance sterilization operations, and the State does not provide specific subsidies for this.”

Unlike Belgium or Spain, France does not impose any obligation to sterilize cats, a choice with serious consequences. According to the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, a cat can have up to three litters per year, or around 12 kittens in the first year, 144 in the second and up to 1,728 for the third. This proliferation poses serious problems of inbreeding and health.

In the Gers, requests are exploding: “Since our creation, demand has been growing,” underlines Liliane Broussard. In France, the number of stray cats is estimated at around 11 million. “We must impose the sterilization of stray cats, and I would go so far as to say that we should force people to sterilize their animals. Solutions exist to help them.”

Without such measures, the proliferation of cats, especially in rural areas, sometimes leads to irreparable acts. “We still do not understand how the situation could have degenerated to this point in Monblanc. The cats could have been placed; we had an agreement with this person to carry out the sterilization and we had already collaborated with her,” says Liliane Broussard. This tragic affair pushes several associations to consider filing a civil suit, with a complaint being prepared.

A call to action

“There are too many cats today in France, it's a fact. We know it, and we would like there to be many fewer of them, but certainly not by killing them. We must act,” she concludes. with force.

She recalls the example of Australia, where drastic measures of mass euthanasia were taken two years ago: “I think we can act differently. If there are so many cats, that's good our fault.”

This call resonates within the few Gers associations and among animal defenders. At the Gang des Matous, the members hope that the situation of Monblanc and the tragedies it illustrates will make it possible to mobilize efforts for better care of the feline population, with priority given to the accountability of owners and communities.