The Société Protectrice des Animaux, SPA by its acronym in French (English: Society for the Protection of Animals), is France's oldest animal protection association.
Founded on 2 December 1845 and recognized as a charitable organization in 1860, it takes in animals in distress, abandoned, lost, or mistreated. It operates 63 shelters and 7 SPA homes throughout France. Animals are taken in by the site team following abandonment, removal for mistreatment or release from a shelter. The animals (dogs, cats and NACs [nouveaux animaux de compagnie]: new pets) are identified, sterilized, vaccinated, housed, treated, trained and socialized before being put up for adoption.
It also helps destitute owners through its 12 free clinics, which enable people on low incomes (homeless, on minimum social benefits, etc.) to have their pets treated, vaccinated, sterilized and identified.
The SPA also takes action against animal abuse through a network of 700 volunteer delegate-investigators and inspectors, and takes legal action against those guilty of mistreating animals. Its Anti-Trafficking Unit (cellular anti-trafic, CAT by its acronym in French) investigates professionals to uncover the various forms of animal trafficking that are sources of mistreatment. CAT raises public awareness of animal welfare and responsible adoption, and fights to advance the animal cause. At the same time, CAT educates youths about respect for animals through its youth clubs and its activities in schools and after-school clubs. It also supports associations and local authorities in their animal protection projects.
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History
In September 1843, Pierre Dumont de Monteux, a doctor, was horrified by the sight before him: a cart driver was manhandling an exhausted horse hitched to a cart in a Paris street, watching as the man whipped and beat him to get up and walk. "Where is justice, where is pity, where are all the moral sentiments that should characterize social man?" he raged.
The association was founded on 2 December 1845 by Pierre Dumont de Monteux, Paris Police Prefect Gabriel Delessert, Viscount Valmer and Dr. Étienne Pariset, a physician at the Salpêtrière hospital. Dr. Étienne Pariset is its first president. Following in the footsteps of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, founded in England in 1824, it was initially founded to protect carriage horses from abuse. It was recognized as a public organization by decree on 22 December 1860. The acronym "SPA" symbolizes the association's name and motto: "sauver – protéger – aimer" (save, protect, love).
In 1903, the first SPA shelter opened in Gennevilliers (92).
Since 1905, the association has been fighting animal experiments on dogs. Camille du Gast presides over the association before the World War II.
In 1945, the first SPA free clinic opens in Paris (75).
For the SPA, respect for animals means educating future protectors from an early age. In 1948, it created the first Club Jeunes (Youth club) section, making volunteer work in shelters accessible to young people aged 11 to 17.
In 1976, the association submitted the "animal charter" to the French National Assembly, with the support of Roland Nungesser, who later became one of the association's presidents. In 1982, it began publishing Animaux Magazine, enabling it to campaign on a larger scale. In 1987, a parliamentary study group on animal protection was set up at the French National Assembly, thanks to Roland Nungesser (association's president at the time). In 1992, he set up an anti-trafficking unit to dismantle clandestine breeding operations. In 1993, he worked with his European counterparts, officially setting up a European service to push through legislation at European Commission and Parliament level.
Governance
Presidents
1845–1847 : Étienne Pariset
1847–1850 : Marquis de Faudoas
1850–1853 : Jacques Delmas de Grammont
1853–1865 : Augustin-Denis Pinon-Duclos, viscount of Valmer
1866 : Louis-Auguste Bourguin
1867 : Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville
1868–1870 : Pierre Baltazar Fournier
1870 : Amédée Sibire
1870–1871 : Louis Crivelli (by intérim)
1871–1878 : Auguste Valette
1878–1881 : Hippolyte Larrey
1881 : Georges de Salverte
1882–1885 : Alphonse Féry d'Esclands
1886–1888 : Émile Decroix
1889–1893 : Émile Pelvey
1893 : Alexandre Cuif (by intérim)
1894–1902 : Albert Uhrich
1902–1911 : Albert Coutaud
1911–1913 : Marquis du Trévou de Breffeillac
1914– : André Falize
1917–1924 : Dr. Henry Boucher
1924–1925 : Emmanuel Berguème
1926–1927 : François Friry
Resources
In 2020, the SPA declared a budget of 72.2 million euros, 84 % of which came from the public (including 84 % from the generosity of 260,000 donors, 26.2 million euros in bequests and 27.5 million euros in donations). In addition to its 710 salaried employees, the association declared the support of 4,096 volunteers and 19,100 members in 2020. The association also manages 55 shelters and 12 free clinics throughout France.
Activities
Ethical battles
In April 2016, the association launched a large-scale poster campaign in some 15 major French cities to "put an end to cruelty inflicted on animals in France". With the slogan "Torture is legal", the campaign consists of three posters: one with a lamb to denounce animal slaughter conditions, another with a rabbit for experimentation and a final one with a bull to stigmatize bullfighting. The campaign aims to "challenge politicians to finally break the deadlock", and is available on the web with the hashtag #JeVousFaisUneLettre (I write you a letter) and a dedicated site, enabling web users to challenge elected representatives on Twitter. A petition against bullfighting is also online.
On 13 October 2020, the association launches a national campaign to raise awareness of the need to sterilize cats. It fights for this cause on an ongoing basis, as cat sterilization has an impact on the cat population, and on abandonment. Indeed, owners who don't sterilize their cats for financial reasons or because of prejudices, can find themselves overwhelmed by the litters generated. In this sense, sterilization is a one-off investment in the animal's well-being.
In November 2017, the association attacked those involved in bullfighting before a criminal judge: on 6 November 2017, it filed a complaint targeting bullfighting. This action for serious abuse and acts of cruelty is brought before the Paris High Court and targets bullfighters, companies organizing bullfighting shows, and the municipalities that authorize them. The offence of serious abuse and cruelty is punishable by 2 years' imprisonment and a €30,000 fine. For the association, the penal text that authorizes "bullfights" in France must be interpreted restrictively and cannot be applied to bullfights, which consist of putting the animal to death after multiple tortures. In this way, the association hopes to encourage the public authorities to amend the legislation to meet society's high expectations in terms of respect for the sentience of animals.
A campaign to mobilize against bullfighting is being launched on 4 April 2019, targeting the general public, as well as members of parliament and senators. This campaign highlights the paradox that exists between bullfighting, which is authorized in certain regions of France, on the one hand, and animal abuse, which is punishable by law, on the other. An online petition was circulated, reaching over 100,000 signatures. A letter was also sent to deputies and senators asking them to take a stand against this cruel practice, and to propose a rewrite of the law to abolish bullfighting in France. In October 2019, the association took the case to the criminal courts once again, and sued those involved in bullfighting, i.e. communes, organizing companies and bullfighters, to put an end to the practice.
Legal controversies
In 2002 and 2009, two reports by the Cour des Comptes (Court of Accounts) highlighted the association's "approximate management" and called into question its charitable status and tax benefits. In November 2009, a provisional court-appointed administrator was appointed to carry out a complete assessment of the association's accounts, and to organize a reform of the articles of association. The new bylaws were approved by the membership on 5 December 2011, and a year later by the Minister of the Interior.
In June 2013, new members were elected to the Board of Directors, putting an end to the period of provisional judicial administration; at the end of the new Board's first meeting, its nine members elected journalist and veterinarian Natacha Harry as their new president.
In December 2013, Le Canard enchaîné published an article questioning the management of the association's receivership. The article focused on the fees and conflicts of interest of the administrator, Michèle Lebosséde.
In early 2016, the "Association des Vrais Amis de la SPA" (Association of True Friends of the SPA VASPA by its acronym in French) took the case to court, seeking to shed light on the conditions under which 20 million euros allegedly evaporated between 2004 and 2008. At the heart of this affair: the resale by mysterious non-trading property companies of real estate bequeathed to the association.
On 6 June 2016, the press, and in particular the daily Le Parisien, reported several complaints lodged in March for "usurpation of title, fraud and breach of trust, active and passive corruption, and illegal taking of interests", prompting the opening of a preliminary investigation.
On 15 March 2017, the Cour des Comptes issues its third report on the association, "with two reservations: the inadequacy of internal control, which has made no progress since the previous audit, with the exception of improved management of legacies; the inadequacy and delay in renovating sites, already criticized by the Court in 2002, while hoarded financial reserves have accumulated, with equity reaching 68 M€ at the end of 2015".