Justice has been made for foxes, a landmark decision
Wednesday November 28th a hearing was held by the Prefectural for the interim suspension of the from Meurthe-et-Moselle, authorizing the night shooting on 500 foxes in the last three months of 2018. The decision of the court is in the favour of the foxes. An exemplary decision.
Wednesday November 28th a hearing was held by the Prefectural for the interim suspension of the from Meurthe-et-Moselle, authorizing the night shooting on 500 foxes in the last three months of 2018. The decision of the court is in the favour of the foxes. An exemplary decision. Even if a hundred of them have, despite this verdict, have already been massacred at night in Meurthe-et-Moselle this fall, fortunately this is not the original five hundred wanted by the local federation of hunters who had almost guided the Prefect’s hand in creating the text.
Time was running out
One Voice acted very quickly to present the technical and legal arguments to the judge. The time was running out, the decree was in place, the foxes were being killed every night…
We were there to defend the foxes, restore their reputation and fight the false arguments of the hunters. By the admission of the representative of the prefecture, the decree was published at their request, and motivated according to their argument. In Meurthe-et-Moselle as often, federations of hunters carry strong political weight, and do almost what they want with nature, with the approval from the public authorities. This state of affairs has become unbearable for the population, which is becoming more and more aware of the reality, namely the alarming state of the biodiversity, which is constantly being harmed. This has been proven by the presence of several citizens, who came to attend the hearing on their own initiative, which is not always the case. Like a subliminal reminder to 90% of the opinions given during the public consultation that were opposed to this decree.
Red foxes are important individuals to the biodiversity!
We have reminded the representative of the Prefecture and the judge that foxes, even before constituting them as a species, who are a multitude of living individuals. Each of whom has a desire to live for themselves. Their usefulness for biodiversity has also been underlined by our lawyer for those who today still refuse to take into account their sensitivity, and their intrinsic worth into consideration.
The animals of our countryside are part of the common heritage of the nation. As such, foxes must be protected. They are hunted down, sometimes as game and sometimes as pests likely to cause damage, which makes them vulnerable to shooting, traps that kill and unearthing from their homes … all year round, at least 2 % of our national population. More than half a million of them are massacred annually, more than 6,000 in Meurthe-et-Moselle alone. However, foxes are also and above all likely to bring benefits! The fox’s natural regulation of the vole population in the fields prevents both Lyme disease from spreading and the need to spray the fields with chemical pesticides. A very important role in biodiversity.
An exceptional audience in Nancy
During the hearing, the Prefecture’s defence went on about approximations, absurdities and even errors, unable to say how many foxes had already been shot at night since early October, arguing that the more foxes killed is a sign that their population is increasing, and counting only two months instead of three for the validity of the decree…
The collusion of the hunting world with the representatives from the State is worrying. Their arguments are that there would not be enough hares or partridges to kill in the pursuit of their deadly and bloody hobby… in short, a question of competition. But neither the local federation of hunters nor the Prefecture have been able to prove the figures in the increase of the population of red foxes. Either that of the decrease in the population of the partridges and hares (which were not even mentioned at the hearing) that they seek to “regulate” with their shot gun cartridges. Perhaps we should rather look at the decline of the natural spaces around France which have been affected by urbanization or that of intensive agriculture … Moreover, it is now scientifically proven that the fox population does in fact self-regulate.
This decree is the last in a long series, the surrounding departments in the North and East of the country having decided not to resort to it, after losing or giving up against One Voice and its partners on all previous occasions! During the proceedings, our lawyer also represented the associations ASPAS, Flore 54 and GEML who also attacked this decree.
This victory date will mark a milestone!
We can only rejoice that once again justice restores the damage done to foxes, and enforce what the population expects of its public authorities. We continue our fight for them everywhere in France, and we will support this decision of justice, exemplary, thanks to our suspension because it takes place before the end of the decree, which is exceptional.
To give us all your support in this fight at the national level, please sign our petition for red foxes (with Anymal and ASPAS). They must be removed from this revolting list called “pests”.