Abandonment of animals in Luxembourg: severe sanctions to dissuade summer abandonment

It is a scourge that seems inconceivable to the ordinary people, but which unfortunately returns each year at the time of the summer vacation. Tired or simply unable to find a solution to keep it, some people do not hesitate to abandon their pet. A sad reality that worries Octavie Modern. In a parliamentary question, the CSV deputy recalls the 200,000 cases of abandonment of dogs and cats which affect France each year, while wondering about possible similar behaviors in Luxembourg.

Unsurprisingly, the Grand Duchy is not spared, recognizes Martine Hansen Martine Hansen on Monday, while stressing that shelters are observed “no particular trend” in the matter. A scourge that would therefore be stable, but still recurrent. The few figures unveiled by the Minister also make it possible to note that the abandonments of cats are much more numerous. Of the 217 cats “found” last year, only 39 could be returned to their owner, indicates the Gasperich refuge. At the end of June 2025, the number of cats recovered for this year was 86, including a minority (16) who found their master.

The same refuge has an average of ten dogs per year which are not claimed by their owner. The phenomenon would therefore be sporadic concerning dogs, but it exists. This is why the ministry makes an awareness campaign twice a year, before the long holidays and before Christmas. For shelters, the situation is usually more manageable in summer than in winter with more places in enclosures thanks to the use of exteriors.

But that those who would have the bad idea of getting rid of their companion do not believe they can act with impunity. The abandonment of a pet that needs human assistance is punished with a prison sentence of eight days to three years and a fine between 251 and 200,000 euros.