Thursday 08 August 2019 | 108

17 years of fighting for Samba and the State still refuses to open their eyes

17 years of fighting for Samba and the State still refuses to open their eyes

Mis à jour le 08 September 2019

It’s been Seventeen years now since we’ve been fighting for Samba’s release. Initially scheduled for December 2018, postponed until 27th June 2019, the hearing was confirmed by the Administrative Court of Marseille only last moment. Our 2017 lawsuit against the Bouches-du-Rhône Prefecture has therefore been heard. The court rejected our request preferring to believe the Prefecture, which claims that everything is fine because - among other things - the protective barriers are at a regulatory distance. For the elephant and other wild animals held by the circus of Europe, we will appeal the decision!

Hr blog

A long drawn out battle

For more than two years, we have been waiting for the Prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône, who is responsible for the well-being of captive wildlife on its territory, to reverse the order they made in 2017 authorizing the exploitation of Samba. Despite the evidence of her poor health, the Prefect made the implicit decision to refuse our request to repeal this decree: he did not respond to anything !

On June 27th, there was a question in Marseille about our request to repeal the Prefectural decree of May 15th, 2017, according to which Max Aucante, who is the owner of the Cirque d'Europe, he is authorized to open his establishment, to hold and present animals. Among them, tigers, baboons and Samba, which he renamed Tania after a previous procedure opposing us in the early 2000s. This petition against the Prefecture also contains our request for immediate transfer of Samba to a sanctuary. At 32 and still suffering the daily humiliation, it is more than time that she can rest and have a life worthy of her name !

The State is blind and deaf, but not silent ...

Our request, the purpose of which is to put the State in charge of its responsibilities, shows once again with this rejection, how much it refuses to open its eyes. The reports of the DDPP (service in charge of the veterinary services of the Prefecture) of 2014, on which relied the administrative court, claim that all is well for Samba and her companions of misfortune. We appeal this decision. We will never give up on Samba.

Our criminal complaint - enriched with new elements on the appalling life of the elephants from Africa - against the owner of the circus is under investigation.

Please sign our petition to establish Samba's resettling far away from the circus, the trucks and the chains !

Julia Mothé
Hr blog

In the subject

Against all odds for Samba, the last ‘circus’ elephant, whose suffering has broken the State’s indifference We will defend the animals from the Franco-Belge Circus before the courts.

Comments 108

I accept that publication of my comments is subject to the code of conduct.

Agnès. | Saturday 31 August 2019

On juge souvent les Hommes, leurs qualités humaines, aux rapports qu'ils ont avec les animaux et on se méfie de ceux qui sont indifférents à la souffrance animale.

Marie-Paule | Saturday 31 August 2019

Le regard effrayé de Samba en dit long sur sa maltraitance et sa peine. M. le préfet, libérez Samba de ce cirque pour la transférer dans un sanctuaire à éléphants.

Karine et Philippe | Monday 19 August 2019

Nul n'est plus aveugle et sourd, que celui qui refuse de voir ou d'entendre. Nos élus ou nos préfets qui sont sous la tutelle de l’État ne prennent pas en considération la souffrance animale, alors que la loi les considère comme des êtres vivants dotés de sensibilité, en conséquence, nul n'a le droit d'asservir ou d'exploiter. La captivité est une maltraitance au sens propre du terme, car elle ne peut apporter tous les besoins primordiaux pour le bien-être de l'animal.

Ctrip | Wednesday 14 August 2019

Il est plus que temps d'en finir avec ces cirques à animaux sauvages.. Qu'on utilise des hologrammes pour les faire connaître à nos enfants !