23/05/2026

LYFE SATURDAY | MAY 23, 2026

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Bone appetit: Paris pups lap up treats A N elegant, white haired Parisian savours a biscuity cloud of cream and o Dog-friendly establishments sprout up in City of Lights to cater to pet owners

apple down to the last crumb at one of the French capital’s many bakeries —but this client has four legs, not two. Loulou, a fluffy Pomeranian, lets out a satisfied “woof” after polishing off a €5 (RM23) Le Merveilleux made from banana puree, cream cheese, apple and beef. The one-year-old pup is a regular at this dog bakery, where the treats lined up under a glass counter – such as the heart-shaped Le Mignon made with sweet potato, cream cheese and blueberry – look almost good enough for humans to eat. French owner Clara Zambuto said adopting Hulk, her three-year-old Pomeranian, inspired her to open the canine-friendly patisserie where dogs and their humans can indulge side-by-side. “I’d often go for walks with him... pop into a cafe like a proper Parisian but he’d soon get bored. I thought it was a shame there weren’t places in Paris where while you’re having a quick coffee, you can also treat your pet. Nowadays, our dog is really like our child... we want to be able to take him everywhere,” said the 26-year-old owner of Casa del Doggo. The bakery is one of several dog-centric establishments popping up in the French capital – home to an Cadmium is a chemical element naturally found in the ground at low levels, particularly in limestone-rich areas. But the concentration of the carcinogenic element can steadily increase through deposits, including phosphate fertilisers used to grow crops that then end up on people’s plates. What is the problem? Nearly half of the French population last year had cadmium exposure levels exceeding reference values, France’s National Agency for Health Security (Anses) worryingly warned in March. It noted “worrying cadmium contamination at all ages, starting from a very young age”. For French non-smokers, this contamination came primarily from consuming contaminated food. These include staples such as breakfast cereals, bread, croissants and other pastries, biscuits, rice and potatoes, it said.

estimated 100,000 canines – where some say pets’ needs remain overlooked. ‘No chocolate’ Zambuto started preparing the treats at home herself before enlisting the help of a trained pastry chef. “No chocolate, no avocado, no grapes and no onion,” she said, as they are toxic to dogs. Like for humans, moderation also remains key to avoid excessive weight gain, said Lolita Sommaire, a veterinarian specialising in canine and feline nutrition. “If they’ve been to a patisserie, you need to adjust their next meal, cut back a little or get them doing more exercise. But if it’s once a month, it’s not a big deal,” she told AFP. At another dog cafe, pups roam on a bench-lined terrace, ome munching on €4 croissant- and baguette-shaped treats. Marley, a beret-wearing American One-year-old Loulou is a regular at the bakery. France’s top health authority in 2024 warned “repeated exposure to low doses can be the cause of multiple health effects: On the kidneys, bones, respiratory system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, reproduction and it can be carcinogenic.” When it is inhaled, through smoking or in industrial settings, it can cause lung cancer, according to the World Health Organisation. Ingesting too much of the toxin may also cause cancers of the kidney and prostate. What can be done? France is mulling two ways to help: Testing people to get a better measure of how widespread contamination is and regulating fertilisers to limit new cadmium entering soils. As a first step, France is soon to introduce a reimbursable test for people living in higher-risk areas, the health minister’s office has said. The health authority has recommended the test, to be introduced this summer, for people

Parisian pooch Marley chows down at one of the city’s dog-friendly cafes. – PICS FROM AFP

off-leash spaces for dogs, one advocacy group, Paris Condition Canine, argues those on offer are “insufficient, unevenly distributed and sometimes ill-suited”. Dogs even emerged as a niche issue ahead of March’s mayoral race, with new Paris mayor Emmanuel Gregoire dedicating an Instagram account to photos with canine companions while rival Rachida Dati organised a dog-centric apero . For Loulou the Pomeranian’s owner and self-described “mother”, Sarah Elgamal, trips to the Casa del Doggo bakery offer more than just treats but an opportunity to bond

with her pooch. It “improves our connection because we’re both in a third place that’s neither work nor home,” said the 32-year-old pharmacist. And though dogs come first at her cafe, Anhalt said many visitors also come for the chance to socialise with fellow pet owners. “Dogs are a really good connector,” she said. One regular and his 17-year-old dachshund, newly arrived in Paris, now come every day to “be part of the group and meet people”, she added. After all, “you’ll talk to anybody about your dog.”

shepherd, laps up the remnants of a chantilly-based “pup cup” from the pavement. For Rebecca Anhalt, the decision to open her “dog-first” cafe came after being hit with a hefty fine for letting Napoleon, her five-year-old whippet, off-leash in a park. “I wanted to create a place where people could come and not fear... being scolded for having your dog,” said the US-born owner of Le Bone Appart, a play on French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s last name. ’Really good connector’ While Paris has more than 40

No cadmium please, monsieur: French want less toxins in baguettes F R A N CE is mulling how to prevent people from ingesting too much of the heavy metal cadmium, after a warning their breakfast cereal and baguettes could be contaminated with the toxin. Here is what to know. What is cadmium? How bad is it? French doctors last year begged the authorities to act, saying women and children were especially being contaminated and putting blame on “phosphate fertilisers containing too much cadmium”. What about fertilisers? France’s cadmium rate in earth of 0.25mg/kg is only slightly higher than the EU average of 0.20, according to a 2024 study of topsoils in the bloc.

But some consumers are worried, with several petitions popping up online in recent months demanding the government take measures. The Anses health security agency has recommended lowering the maximum permitted cadmium levels in phosphate fertilisers from the current 90mg/kg in France to 20mg/kg. Up to 60mg/kg is allowed in these fertilisers in the European Union. A bill to be discussed in parliament next month wants to cap allowed cadmium levels in fertiliser to 40mg/kg by next year and 20mg/kg by 2030. The National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment has also recommended “limiting the use of synthetic fertilisers”, which it said is already down by 70% compared with the 1980s. It has also suggested farmers select wheat varieties for pasta and bread that are “less prone to accumulating cadmium”. Doctors have urged the government to help boost organic food consumption, especially in schools. – AFP

Cadmium is found in phosphate fertilisers, which are used on France’s wheat farms. – 123RFPIC

problems,” he said. Toxicologist Robert Garnier said reducing exposure was key as there was no medication to help eliminate it from the body. “The top priority is to reduce young children’s exposure: not because there are risks for them today but because they will eventually grow old. Even the cadmium accumulated in childhood will not have been completely eliminated by the time they are over 60,” he said.

living in limestone-rich regions or near some 7,000 old industrial sites. But doctors could also recommend it outside these regions. France’s Federation of Medical Laboratories president Francois Blanchecotte said the urine test – and possibly blood test – would be able to determine if someone suffered from a “significant chronic intoxication”. “Something really had to be done: cadmium builds up silently in the body and can ultimately cause serious