Historical ruling: the circus trainer of the ten tigers seized following a One Voice investigation has been heavily convicted!
For the first time in France, a circus trainer has been sentenced for animal mistreatment: the ten tigers. An historic ruling in One Voice’s favour!
Thanks to the endless work by One Voice with its investigations and legal proceedings, the Beauvais Tribunal has just convicted Mario Masson as being guilty of crimes of mistreatment of animals committed by a professional and of improper operation of an establishment keeping non-domestic animals from 2019 to 2020, illegal acquisition and transfer of animals, and breaches of employment law and fraud. Finally, he is prohibited from engaging in any activity relating to animals for two years, associated with two years of ineligibility and a fine. In total, he must pay off €246,000 to various stakeholders in the case.
According to Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice:
«It is the first time in France that a circus trainer has been found guilty of mistreatment of animals with the aggravated circumstance of being a professional. It is an historic ruling. What a huge satisfaction knowing that the tigers will not return to the lorry-cage in the courtyard of the abandoned factory where they were enclosed for 24 hours every day, as our footage shows! We will continue to lead these investigations and to bring them before the legal system to highlight the horrors that circus animals live in. We had to suffer a lot of setbacks before this victory; it is all the more strong. A big thank you to all those who believed in our unfailing determination for these tigers and who have supported us in the face of adversity.»
The tribunal ruled that the tigers and equipment would be confiscated permanently and that the Tonga Terre d’Accueil — the refuge that we chose to welcome the animals — and we must in particular receive repayment of the sum spent on the ten tigers since them being seized in the name of justice in December 2020. The State and the URSSAF must also receive the sum linked in particular to the secret work that Masson was involved in.
We have known Mario Masson since 2005; then he kept two terribly mistreated elephants. The investigation to initiate the complaint to the prosecutor was one of the most risky, but it was essential: our previous complaints had been dismissed. The seizure was done in total secrecy because he bred tigers to sell the babies when they were scarcely even a few days old, and some knew and turned a blind eye. The hearing lasted more than 8 hours, and was led for us by Maitre Caroline Lanty.
Since them being seized almost two years ago, we have also offered these tigers a new life far away from the lorry-cage in which they stagnated for such a long time. Far from training and their prison guards, they have been taken over by an attentive team. They have been able to discover grass and benefit from the simple joy of running and hiding, all while making the most of the enrichment at their disposal. An enclosure is currently being built to take them to a partner sanctuary.
Recap of the footage on the seizure of the tigers on 16 December 2020
Translated from the French by Joely Justice