Monday 25 November 2019 | 6

Bony and Glasha have temporarily escaped the clutches of their keepers

Bony and Glasha have temporarily escaped the clutches of their keepers

Mis à jour le 14 February 2020

Three days before the hearing at the Orleans Administrative Court where we have demanded the presence of the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher, they have now decided on the temporary placement of Bony and Glasha into alternative accommodation. It is a relief for these two bears, who’s very worrying state of health has finally been recognized. But they still remain the property of the Poliakovs and there is no a word about the other animals.

Hr blog

The Prefect justifies the decision concerning the rehousing of these bears following the veterinary report that we requested during our appeal. The alarming observation attests to what we have been claiming for more than two months: Glasha and Bony are permanently suffering and are in a terrible state. Our experts were right. The thickness near Glasha's eye is a cancerous tumour and Bony, like Glasha, is suffering from chronic dental pain. We have not been fooled, the teeth of these bears just didn’t "disappear" overnight, just as the tumours did not mysteriously appear on Micha, in such a short time. The authorities knew their condition, since regular check-ups had taken place over the years and still after these check-ups the authorities permitted the Poliakovs to continue to exploit these poor bears in such appalling conditions.

The placement is not permanent

It is not even a permanent placement or a ban on the exploitation of these animals. On the contrary, if Bony and Glasha regain their health, and if the Poliakovs show that they can financially support their veterinary care and the bears minimal survival, then they can return to their infamous jails. They can even replace the bears if they like, since neither their certificate of capacity nor their authorization to reopen their shows has been taken away from them. We are not going to stop there !

Action for faults against the Prefect

Faced with our indisputable images and the opinions of our independent experts, and after the action of the Minister of Ecology, the authorities have chosen to do the minimum. We therefore maintain our requests, because if the trainers have shown their failure to ensure the protection of animals, the Prefect has done so too: They are the guarantor of their protection. We have therefore just filed a new appeal against the Prefect for misconduct, and requested € 50,000 in damages.

We will not give up on the other animals

The other animals must not remain in the hands of the Poliakovs, whom we await the conviction for their acts of cruelty in the criminal part of the file. A dromedary died a few weeks ago and it is impossible to obtain an autopsy, when one is in the context of serious ill-treatment. The body was immediately sent to the incineration plant with the consent of the authorities. And no one mentions the little monkey Mina, nor the horses, ponies and parrots that are barely surviving on their property in no less severe conditions. We will fight to the end for them.

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 6

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

trochu | Monday 25 November 2019

C'est inadmissible qu'il faille se battre pour l'interdiction de la détention de ces animaux sauvages dans des cirques ou autres endroits ignobles où ils ne connaissent que l'isolement, l'enfermement, l'emprisonnement, la maltraitance. Ces animaux n'ont rien à faire dans de tels lieux ! Pourquoi la justice française en 2019 ne prend pas plus de considération en faveur des animaux ? N'est-elle donc pas sensible ? Je constate qu'il y a encore beaucoup de travail à faire, et de combats à mener, de changement de mentalités et de prises de conscience.

Anne | Monday 25 November 2019

C est monstrueux de voir la souffrance de ce singe, comment ne peut-on pas réagir à cela comment peut t on laisser des animaux dans de telles conditions surtout maintenant que tout le monde sait . Qu'on m explique .Sur qu’elle planète on vit j'ai honte j'espère de tout cœur que la justice leur rendra justice.