It's a ruling that may well deter owners from abandoning their pets on the street.
According to the French newspaper, La République du Centre, the local animal pound in the Loiret department of France has decided to systematically press charges against such owners.
The pound manager, Aurélie Scotch, spoke of one particular case dating back to 6 August 2025.
"A man claimed he had found a dog on the street and contacted the local police in Malesherbes. The dog was very thin, and we had him examined by a vet," she explained.
The truth comes out
After an investigation, which included looking at social media, the pound discovered that "the man who said he'd found the dog on the street was actually its owner. He tried to justify his actions by saying he could no longer afford to keep him."
A 'severe' sentence
Last April, the man was summoned to a preliminary plea hearing. Unfortunately, he failed to appear.
The man, who already had a criminal record, was summoned again. Once more, he did not show up at the Orléans court.
In his absence, he was sentenced to eight months in prison, along with a ban on keeping an animal and several fines to cover the costs incurred by the pound. The pound's lawyer described the sentence as 'severe'.