His name does not sound familiar ? No wonder: the Animal Assistance Foundation (FAA) is hardly talked about. In the world of animal defence, this venerable organization created in 1989 is at the antipodes of militant movements and their muscular methods. But since the Court of Auditors chose to look into it, here is the FAA jostled in its cozy nest. In July 2016, the magistrates already published a report on this foundation, accompanied by a declaration of “noncompliance” of his expenses. The second report made public on Thursday, devoted to the 2015-2019 financial years, this time formulates a compliance opinion “with reservations” following “some progress” observed. But the grievances remain numerous.
The Court of Auditors wonders in particular about the astonishing “permanence” of the governance of the FAA since its creation, the presidency having been occupied alternately by Arlette Alessandri, now aged 83, and by her son Jean-Noël. Similarly, the composition of the board of directors testifies, according to this report, to“an unjustifiable status quo” and a mode of direction “uncollegiate” where we willingly decide between ourselves. A malfunction far from being anecdotal for a surprisingly powerful structure: the FAA has more than 73,000 members and donors, employs 125 employees and manages 18 establishments (dispensaries, shelters and retirement homes for animals), located for the most part in Ile-de-France, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur region and in Corsica.
Thick financial mattress
In Cannes (Alpes-Maritimes), the departmental delegation of the foundation occupies a villa bequeathed by a generous animal lover. A dozen properties, corresponding to a gross value of 3.27 million euros, thus ended up in the will of the foundation. Legacies also take the form of cold hard cash, the average amount of which reaches 91,000 euros. In 2019, still according to the figures provided by the Court of Auditors, the legacies collected by the FAA amounted to 8.2 million euros, the amount of life insurance to 4 million and donations to around 4 million. The foundation’s treasury also showed an impressive sum: 46.3 million euros, the equivalent of four years of reserves…
Does this thick financial mattress soften the life of four unfortunate paws? Yes, but not enough: the magistrates considered that the expenses directly earmarked for the core business of the FAA represented only “60-65% of bounty resources over the five years”. In fact, less than 2,000 animals are cared for by the foundation, a poor record given the sums raised. The expenses devoted to the development of reception structures or the renovation of the oldest establishments seem limited, while certain executives or service providers of the foundation turn out to be handsomely paid.
“Animals always benefit”
But it is perhaps the investment in real estate (i.e. 3.8 million euros between 2015 and 2019) that surprises the most when reading the report. The Court of Auditors had already pointed out, in 2016, that the foundation devoted nearly a quarter of donations “to the acquisition of investment properties and the accumulation of financial reserves”. In addition, some administrators or members of their entourage occupied accommodation held by the FAA…
The latter did not respond to our requests. But following the observations of the Court of Auditors, the president explains that she “aims for better financial stability through income from its investments in stone”, because she wants “to be able to retain the best investment opportunities, from which the animals will always ultimately benefit in the short and long term”. Clever mix between the policy of the ant and the strategy of the squirrel, in a way.