Just found this article.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2318245/Samantha-Brick-rescuing-animals-France.html
My first dog, Jessie recently deceased, was reportedly bred for fighting and when she proved to be too small and too laid back was rescued. The alternative would probably have been having her feet cut off so she could be used as "bait" in the training of other dogs.
My second dog, now a sweet 7 year old (and missing Jessie), was bred for hunting and hare coursing but ended up tied to a lamp post. She had clearly been mistreated and had many psychological problems.
Where was all this? Well Ozzie was tied to a lamp post in Reading, Berkshire and Jessie rescued from, I believe, somewhere near the Forest of Dean.
So, it's not a peculiarly French problem in my opinion - there are evil b*stards (sorry) everywhere and there are many more loving caring owners, French and English.
Where did you live? Where I have spent the largest part of my life, the dogs used for fox hunting were penned up most of the time, the space far too small for the number and cleaning or proper feeding, no way that was worse than what I have seen here. Farmers also kept dogs on long chains, others let them roam but did not feed them on the basis of that way they were better at controlling vermin because it gave them something to eat and much better as guard dogs because they got used to the people around the farm but were never companion animals like we other people had, so kept unwanted visitors away. Dogs were openly kicked or beaten with sticks or whips. Country dogs in East Anglia that is, not exactly the image of the loving British owner. Our vet neuters without discussion. If we want it, we get it.I look after my animals as members of the family but then I suppose I am just a softy.
Ah well, the Daily Mail is as the Daily Mail does. I won't click on the link, if you'll excuse me, because it will make me have bad thoughts about my fellow human beings. In any case I agree with you - France is no worse nor better than many other "civilised" countries in this respect. One comes across casual cruelty in France; equally I see a staggering (sometimes nauseating) amount of doting over animals. I seem to come across rather less cruelty to horses in France than I saw in the UK. That's not to say that it doesn't happen, just that I see less of it. No idea why this should be.
Sadly, there are evil owners in any country but in France it's also normal to keep a dog chained up 24/7 as a guard dog or caged for 6 out of 7 days as a hunting dog and to abandon their pets when they go on their holidays.
Here it's not normal to neuter pets, even some vets are known to question people who wish to do so for their companion animals, so there's a constant supply of unwanted puppies.
I hate to say it, but the Daily Mail have it right this time.