Poliakov trial: does France really protect wild animals?
The trial of the decision of the couple of bear circus trainers, the Poliakovs has just been made. Is it now possible to mistreat animals in peace in France?
The Poliakov trial took place on 12 May in Blois. The decision has just been made. The couple, who trained Micha, Bony and Glasha, Mina the Barbary macaque, rare birds, and ponies, were acquitted of all serious abuse and on all acts prior to 2019. Statute of limitations. Sacha Poliakov was bailed on a four-month suspended sentence. In other words, it’s now possible to mistreat in peace in France. And this is despite a bear being dead. We are appealing.
Does France really protect wild animals?
In light of the court decisions
that are made in France in trial after trial in these types of cases, we have seen
that the courts are more likely to sanction environmental offences. Is there an
omerta (law of silence), or even a taboo, to allow wild animal keepers to
mistreat? Because negligence is convicted when it comes to cats and dogs. We
can see this happening in the case of Eliott
the Lion at the Amar Circus, or in that of Jumbo,
the hippopotamus who is kept by the circus that
belongs to the violent
Muller family. Each time that there is
objective, conclusive evidence, the accused are ultimately only condemned for
environmental infractions.
For the animals being kept by the
Poliakovs, this absence of any sanction, which lived up to our expectations, happened
despite the death of an animal which had maggots in its paws!
Ignorance of there being a culprit
The disregard for these animals –
we have seen it already in inspections; officials don’t note down specific
problems in the inspection reports – continues in the courtroom. This is
extremely serious.
Animal protection laws which almost never apply
It is incomprehensible. It is as
though the wild animals were willingly exploited, ours for the taking, and that
therefore they did not suffer. As if we could do anything to them… and in fact,
that’s what happens. The question can be asked: are these animals truly
protected in our country? We are appealing the decision.
Translated from the French by Joely Justice