France’s law of 30 November 2021 aimed to prevent animal mistreatment and abandonment and to discourage impulsive acquisitions. Its provisions were implemented through later regulations. Their scope varies by species: rules introduced for dogs, cats, rabbits or ferrets must not automatically be applied to degus.
The legal status of degus
Octodon degus is a non-domestic species in French law, even when kept as a companion animal. The keeping, breeding and commercial regimes depend on the numbers, other animals present and the nature of the activity. An occasional litter does not automatically require a capacity certificate, while a commercial establishment may require authorisation and an appropriately qualified responsible person.
Degu legislation in France, Europe and Canada
Certificate of commitment and knowledge
The certificat d’engagement et de connaissance for acquiring companion animals applies to dogs, cats, ferrets and companion lagomorphs, including rabbits. The implementing provision, Article D214-32-4, does not include degus, which are rodents.
The associated seven-day period must therefore not be presented as a general degu-acquisition requirement. Nor does the law impose a blanket one-year deadline for existing degu owners to sign this certificate. Providing accurate care information and considering the animal’s lifetime costs remain important, and separate non-domestic-animal transfer documents may be required.
Advertisements, sale and transport
Online animal advertisements and professional sales are regulated, but the applicable provisions differ by species and activity. Measures concerning dog, cat or ferret advertisement verification cannot simply be described as a ban on all degu advertisements. Likewise, the 2021 law should not be summarised as a blanket prohibition of every shipment or transport of a degu.
For a degu transfer, check the non-domestic-animal rules, including the transfer attestation, information document where required and any establishment authorisations. Current official guidance allows only limited private sales in number and income before professional/commercial rules apply. Transport must safeguard the animal’s welfare and comply with any applicable carrier, commercial-transport or cross-border requirements.
Minors
The sale or free transfer of a companion animal to a minor requires the consent of the parents or other holders of parental authority. The current rule is not limited to children under 16. An adult should take responsibility for meeting a degu’s needs throughout its life.
Associations and foster care
The law also changed the framework for animal-protection organisations, including associations without a physical refuge and foster arrangements. Domestic-animal status alone does not authorise a facility for non-domestic species. For a degu rescue or foster project, establish which environmental-law and establishment rules apply with the DDPP or DDETSPP before relying on the provisions for domestic species.
The practical effect is that the 2021 law forms part of a wider legal framework. Use the current species-specific rules, rather than forecasts made while the bill and implementing decrees were still being discussed.
Sources
French Republic (2021). Loi n°2021-1539 du 30 novembre 2021 visant à lutter contre la maltraitance animale et conforter le lien entre les animaux et les hommes. Légifrance. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000044387560
French Republic (2022). Code rural et de la pêche maritime, article D214-32-4. Scope of the certificat d’engagement et de connaissance. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000046057273
French Ministry of Agriculture (2025). Animaux de compagnie, équidés… Tout savoir sur le certificat d’engagement et de connaissance. Official explanatory guidance. https://agriculture.gouv.fr/animaux-de-compagnie-equides-tout-savoir-sur-le-certificat-dengagement-et-de-connaissance
French Republic (2018). Arrêté du 8 octobre 2018 fixant les règles générales de détention d’animaux d’espèces non domestiques. Légifrance, consolidated text. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000037491137/
Service Public / DILA (2026). Avoir un nouvel animal de compagnie (Nac) : quelles sont les règles ? Official guidance, verified 16 October 2026. https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F34922