Can an individual sell or give away dogs or cats?
Verified 28 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Yes, you can give one kitten or adult cat or a puppy or adult dog. However, you cannot sell only occasionally an animal and only a cat or dog adult. Only breeders are allowed to sell puppies or kittens whose mothers they own. We present this regulation to you.
Don
You can give, i.e. give in without any financial compensation, one kitten or adult cat or a puppy or adult dog.
Warning
You cannot give an animal to a minor without having the consent of parents or persons exercising parental authority. Transferring an animal to a minor without this consent is punishable by a fine of €750.
Your donation offer must contain the following information :
- Scientific name (felis catus domesticus / canis lupus familiaris) and common name of the species and breed to which the animal belongs
- Sex of the animal
- Place of birth
- Animal identification number in the national identification file for domestic carnivores (I-Cad)
- Age of the animal
- Registration or absence of registration of the animal in the Book of French Origins (LOF) or at Official book of feline origins (LOOF) and if the animal is entered in a breeding book: identification number of the female who gave birth to the proposed animal and number of animals in the litter,
- Mention of race... if the dog or cat is registered in the LOF or the LOOF. If the animal is not entered in a herd book, the does not belong to a breed shall be indicated. The mention of appearance followed by the name of a breed may be indicated if you can guarantee the morphological appearance of that breed in adulthood.
The offer must specify that it is a free donation without any financial consideration.
Your donation offer can be made on the internet on a site with a specific section for pets.
Failure by any person transferring a pet to comply with the regulations on the publication of offers to transfer is punishable by a fine of €450.
The animal must be transferred be at least 8 weeks old (2 months).
He is forbidden to give an animal that has not reached at least that age.
An animal separated from the mother before this age is at risk of health and/or behavioral problems due to early weaning.
FYI
Offering to transfer dogs or cats aged 8 weeks or less is punishable by a fine of €750.
A dog or cat is born can't be given without being identified.
The identification is carried out by electronic chip at a veterinarian. Identification allows the registration in the national identification file of domestic carnivores (I-Cad) of the contact details of the owner of the animal corresponding to the chip number.
When an animal is found after being lost or stolen, registration at the Icad is the only way to contact the owner.
The identification is mandatory for the dogs from 4 months and for the cats from 7 months.
To be able to be given, the cat or dog must first be must be identified.
If you give a kitten or puppy before the mandatory identification age (before 7 months or 4 months), you must have it identified before giving it.
Identification must be done by a veterinarian at your expense.
The veterinarian records the chip number directly online of your pet and your contact details in the I-Cad file.
The identification card of your pet in your name is generated instantly and available immediately on the I-Cad website, in your space Holder. You will receive an e-mail message informing you of this.
You can freely view and download your pet's identification card. You can also change your contact details yourself if they change.
National Identification File for Domestic Carnivores (I-Cad): holding space
At the time of the transfer of your pet, you must declare the change of owner online so that the contact details of the new owner are registered in the I-Cad.
The animal identification card in the name of the new owner is generated instantly. He receives an electronic message informing him of this and he can access the new identification card of the animal in his name, on the I-Cad website, in his holding area.
FYI
Giving up an unidentified cat or dog or detaining an unidentified cat or dog is punishable by a fine of €750.
Before giving away your pet, you must ensure that the future holder has signed, at least 7 days before the date of the transfer, a certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species.
The certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species may be issued by a person holding the certificate of knowledge for pet animals of domestic species (Acaced) or an equivalence. This may include a veterinarian, a veterinary specialist, a shelter manager or an animal welfare association.
This certificate of commitment specifies the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of the animal.
It recalls the obligations concerning the identification of the animal.
It specifies the financial and logistical implications of meeting the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of the animal throughout its life.
The certificate of commitment and knowledge must include a handwritten mention of the future keeper by which he expressly undertakes to respect the needs of the animal.
It is recommended that you keep a copy of the certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species signed by the future holder of your animal.
Failure by any person transferring a pet to ensure that the future holder of the certificate of commitment and knowledge signs the certificate shall be punishable by a fine of €450.
You must give the purchaser a veterinary certificate issued by a veterinarian based on the information brought to his knowledge and an examination of the dog or cat.
The veterinary certificate must have been drawn up no more than 3 months before the animal is transferred.
It shall contain the following information:
- Your name and address
- Document justifying the identification of the animal in the ICAD file
- If the pet has a European pet passport: passport number
- If the animal is sterilized: veterinary certificate of sterilization
- If the animal is vaccinated: vaccinations carried out
- In the case of a purebred dog or cat: copy of the birth declaration entered in the breeding book
- If it is a dog, date and result of the last behavioral assessment if it was done
- If it is a category dog, the category to which the dog belongs.
To establish this certificate, the veterinarian examines the apparent state of health of the dog or cat.
It checks the consistency between the morphology and the breed indicated in the animal identification document.
If you do not have a copy of the declaration of birth entered in the herd book, the veterinarian indicates on the certificate that the dog or cat does not belong to a breed.
The mention of appearance followed by a breed name may be entered.
The veterinarian shall transfer this information to the veterinary certificate.
It may specify the breed of the dog or cat on the basis of the copy of the birth declaration entered in the herd book.
It shall state the date of the examination and shall stamp and sign it.
If the breed is not consistent with that specified on the identification document, the veterinarian shall indicate this on the certificate.
FYI
The act of transferring an animal without providing the veterinary certificate attesting to its state of health is punishable by a fine of €750.
Sale
You cannot sell only occasionally a dog or cat and only an adult animal.
If you sell a puppy or kitten whose mother you own, you are automatically considered breeder and therefore subject to a set of reporting, health and training obligations.
You are considered a breeder as soon as you sell 1 puppy or 1 kitten whose mother you hold.
Warning
You cannot give an animal to a minor without having the consent of parents or persons exercising parental authority. Transferring an animal to a minor without this consent is punishable by a fine of €750.
As an individual, it is you forbidden to make an offer to sell a pet on a website.
Your offer to sell must include the following information:
- Scientific name (felis catus domesticus / canis lupus familiaris) and common name of the species and breed to which the animal belongs
- Sex of the animal
- Place of birth
- Animal identification number in the national identification file for domestic carnivores (I-Cad)
- Age of the animal
- Registration or absence of registration of the animal in the Book of French Origins (LOF) or at Official book of feline origins (LOOF) and if the animal is entered in a breeding book: identification number of the female who gave birth to the proposed animal and number of animals in the litter,
- Mention of race... if the dog or cat is registered in the LOF or the LOOF. If the animal is not entered in a herd book, the does not belong to a breed shall be indicated. The mention of appearance followed by the name of a breed may be indicated if you can guarantee the morphological appearance of that breed in adulthood.
- Sale price of the animal.
Failure by any person transferring a pet to comply with this regulation on the publication of offers to transfer is punishable by a fine of €450.
A dog or cat is born can't be given without being identified.
The identification is carried out by electronic chip at a veterinarian. Identification allows the registration in the national identification file of domestic carnivores (I-Cad) of the contact details of the owner of the animal corresponding to the chip number.
When an animal is found after being lost or stolen, registration at the Icad is the only way to contact the owner.
The identification is mandatory for the dogs from 4 months and for the cats from 7 months.
To be able to be given, the cat or dog must first be must be identified.
If you give a kitten or puppy before the mandatory identification age (before 7 months or 4 months), you must have it identified before giving it.
Identification must be done by a veterinarian at your expense.
The veterinarian records the chip number directly online of your pet and your contact details in the I-Cad file.
The identification card of your pet in your name is generated instantly and available immediately on the I-Cad website, in your space Holder. You will receive an e-mail message informing you of this.
You can freely view and download your pet's identification card. You can also change your contact details yourself if they change.
National Identification File for Domestic Carnivores (I-Cad): holding space
At the time of the transfer of your pet, you must declare the change of owner online so that the contact details of the new owner are registered in the I-Cad.
The animal identification card in the name of the new owner is generated instantly. He receives an electronic message informing him of this and he can access the new identification card of the animal in his name, on the I-Cad website, in his holding area.
FYI
Giving up an unidentified cat or dog or detaining an unidentified cat or dog is punishable by a fine of €750.
Before giving away your pet, you must ensure that the future holder has signed, at least 7 days before the date of the transfer, a certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species.
The certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species may be issued by a person holding the certificate of knowledge for pet animals of domestic species (Acaced) or an equivalence. This may include a veterinarian, a veterinary specialist, a shelter manager or an animal welfare association.
This certificate of commitment specifies the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of the animal.
It recalls the obligations concerning the identification of the animal.
It specifies the financial and logistical implications of meeting the physiological, behavioral and medical needs of the animal throughout its life.
The certificate of commitment and knowledge must include a handwritten mention of the future keeper by which he expressly undertakes to respect the needs of the animal.
It is recommended that you keep a copy of the certificate of commitment and knowledge of the specific needs of the species signed by the future holder of your animal.
Failure by any person transferring a pet to ensure that the future holder of the certificate of commitment and knowledge has signed is punishable by a fine of €450.
You must give the buyer the following documents:
- Certificate of transfer
- Veterinary certificate issued by a veterinarian on the basis of the information brought to his knowledge and an examination of the dog or cat.
The veterinary certificate must have been drawn up no more than 3 months before the animal is transferred.
It shall contain the following information:
- Your name and address
- Document justifying the identification of the animal in the ICAD file
- If the pet has a European pet passport: passport number
- If the animal is sterilized: veterinary certificate of sterilization
- If the animal is vaccinated: vaccinations carried out
- In the case of a purebred dog or cat: copy of the birth declaration entered in the breeding book
- If it is a dog, date and result of the last behavioral assessment if it was done
- If it is a category dog, the category to which the dog belongs.
To establish this certificate, the veterinarian examines the apparent state of health of the dog or cat.
It checks the consistency between the morphology and the breed indicated in the animal identification document.
If you do not have a copy of the declaration of birth entered in the herd book, the veterinarian indicates on the certificate that the dog or cat does not belong to a breed.
The mention of appearance followed by a breed name may be entered.
The veterinarian shall transfer this information to the veterinary certificate.
It may specify the breed of the dog or cat on the basis of the copy of the birth declaration entered in the herd book.
It shall state the date of the examination and shall stamp and sign it.
If the breed is not consistent with that specified on the identification document, the veterinarian shall indicate this on the certificate.
FYI
The act of transferring an animal without providing the veterinary certificate attesting to its state of health is punishable by a fine of €750.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
Identification of dogs and cats
Articles L214-8, L214-8-1
Articles D212-63, D212-66, D212-68
Articles R214-32-1, D214-32-2, D214-32-4
Penal provisions
Penal provisions
FAQ
Ministry of Economy
Ministry of Agriculture
Domestic Carnivore Identification business (I-CAD)
Ministry of Agriculture
Canine center business
Federation for the Management of the Official Book of Feline Origins (LOOF)