The Maison de la Société protectrice des animaux (SPA) in Niort will close its downtown adoption center on October 30, 2026, after ten years of operation on avenue Bujault, ahead of a regional expansion that brings a dedicated shelter to Deux-Sèvres. Élise Gautreau, a staff member for SPA 79, confirmed that the department currently operates without a traditional shelter—relying instead on the Niort cat house and a network of roughly ten foster families for dogs—handling between 250 and 300 animal intakes annually.
Transition to a New Regional Facility in Mairé-Levescault
To resolve capacity constraints that leave roughly four times as many requests unanswered, SPA 79 has purchased the Animal Or canine boarding facility in Mairé-Levescault as the current managers retire. The organization estimates the total acquisition and renovation budget at €1.3 million, funded primarily through SPA donations and bequests. Once upgrades finish, the new site will accommodate up to thirty dogs and forty cats. Operations will scale up gradually, opening initially as a pound before transitioning into a full adoption shelter during 2027, alongside planned staff additions beyond the current two employees.
Final Public Events and Temporary Animal Routing
Ahead of the October 30 closure, the avenue Bujault facility will host open house events on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. SPA 79 will also participate in the Fête du chien on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the parc des Brizeaux in Niort. During the transition period before the Mairé-Levescault site opens, incoming animals will be directed to five regional SPA shelters.
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