56: On rescuing & adopting animals in Paris with Roxanne Matiz

If seven weeks in confinement has illustrated anything, it's just how much collateral damage a pandemic leaves in its wake. the fragile become more fragile. The disenfranchised are pushed down even further. But it isn't only human life that takes a hit. Animals, and in this case I'm referring primarily to domestic animals, are also heavily impacted by our radical shift in daily life. Unfortunately, that means high rates of abandonment. Though shelters were closed for the majority of confinement, France recently exempt individuals from the lockdown to rescue animals in need from shelters that are edging toward overcapacity.  As a lifelong animal lover and the parent of two adopted cats, this scenario is extremely upsetting. Somehow it feels even more cruel to imagine animals being dumped during the pandemic. The sentiment has been shared by my friend Roxanne Matiz. She's a photographer living in the 17th arrondissement whose confinement experience has radically changed in the last week: she has taken in an abandoned terrier and is prepared to do whatever she can to keep him well. I'm joined by Roxy to talk about the rescue and what happens next.  Mentioned in this episode: Roxanne Matiz: https://www.instagram.com/roxannematiz/?hl=en France adoption during confinement: http://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20200411-france-briefly-exempts-people-from-lockdown-to-rescue-abandoned-pets SPA: https://www.la-spa.fr/ 30 Millions d'Amis: https://www.30millionsdamis.fr/