Feral goats: the courts rule, the prefects persevere
A few goats escape their owner’s supervision and wander off into the hills? For the prefects, the solution is obvious: have them shot immediately by sworn hunters. Of course, the owners, who have been identified, are not being held accountable. In the region of Haute-Savoie, we obtained an emergency suspension of the order by the Court. Now, in Savoie, together with our partner AJAS we are challenging a new hunting order and asking the Prefect to withdraw his order immediately.
Is the slaughter of stray goats the new regional sport?
There is an explanation for this wave of violence: these few individuals are said to pose a “serious and immediate” danger to humans due to potential attacks or road accidents… And this despite the fact that, according to the prefecture itself, they live far away from everything, in areas that are difficult to access. As for the protection of ibex, it should be noted that the prefecture of Haute-Savoie is already having them culled every year to reassure the producers of Reblochon and other cheeses…
In short, once again, the authorities are succumbing to the hunters’ logic: one problem, one solution: kill the animals. How can we believe that in 2025 it would be absolutely impossible to capture them? The reality is clear: for the authorities, their lives are not worth the trouble of looking for alternatives even though they do exist. So, once again, they are choosing the easy option.
Behind the brutality of the State lies the indifference of the owners
In Savoie, as in the neighbouring region, the owners have been clearly identified. But they do not want to act. Rather than forcing them to do so, the prefects automatically turn to the officially appointed huntmasters whose job is to kill animals that, in many cases, pose no problem.
It is high time to put an end to these orders for the slaughter of domestic animals whose only crime is to be alive. Together with AJAS, we are challenging the order of the Prefect of Haute-Savoie before the Administrative Court in Grenoble.
Here is what you can ask the Prefect of Savoie by sending her a letter:
“Madam Prefect,
The slaughter of goats that have escaped from their owners is not the solution.
These animals do not pose any serious or imminent risk to public safety.
On 5 June 2025, the Administrative Court in Grenoble suspended a similar order issued by the Prefect of Haute-Savoie. The judge of summary proceedings recognised that no public interest prevented the suspension of the order which was clearly illegal.
Finally, it is obvious that there are alternatives to slaughter, notably capture. It is unacceptable that the owners of the goats, who are known, should escape their responsibility simply because they do not wish to intervene. It is time to abandon the reflex of killing animals at the slightest problem!
I hereby request that you, Madam Prefect, kindly withdraw your order.
Yours sincerely,”
Address: Préfecture de la Savoie, Château de ducs de Savoie Accueil général, Pl. Caffe, 73000 Chambéry