Meurthe-et-Moselle. The municipality of Longwy launches a campaign to sterilize stray cats.

For over twenty years, the Apal (Association for the Protection of Animals in Lorraine) association has been working to protect animals in Longwy. This year, it is once again conducting a sterilization campaign, this time with financial support from the city, to the tune of €4,000. This assistance is considered modest given veterinary costs. "We have an agreement with a clinic in Longwy-Bas, which offers us reduced rates, but it remains a considerable effort for a facility like ours," explains Marie-France Lallement, president of the association.

The program is intended to be methodical. Volunteers will proceed by area: Longwy-Haut, Longwy-Bas, Gouraincour , and Rue Molière, in particular, near the daycare center, where reports are numerous. "We go where stray cat populations are exploding. These are often unidentified, injured, and sometimes mistreated animals," explains the president. The goal: to capture the cats, have them sterilized and tattooed, before releasing them at the very spot where they were found.

The association also provides support to people in precarious situations, owners of animals they cannot care for. "Sometimes we cover the costs of an injured cat because people can't afford it. We dream of being able to count on volunteer veterinarians," adds Isabelle Herbin, Vice President.

Beyond animal protection, the proliferation of stray cats poses problems of cohabitation and public health. Nighttime meowing, territorial fights, repeated injuries... And diseases that are transmitted to domestic cats. "An unsterilized animal can be the cause of dozens of births per year. This results in animal misery and sometimes malicious acts," emphasizes Marie-France Lallement.

Aware of the stakes, the municipality has issued a decree to regulate the operation. "From June 15 to September 15, captures will be possible from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.," announced Vin cent Hamen, mayor of Longwy. "It's a measure of hygiene, but also out of respect for the residents." The town has not had a pound service for several years now.

At the same time, a national animal identification campaign, conducted with Icad (the national identification file for dogs, cats, and ferrets), will be held from June 16 to 22. This is a reminder that identification is mandatory and, above all, essential to prevent abandonment.