News Archive - Page 126 of 145

A hopeful decision for Maya the female elephant!

A hopeful decision for Maya the female elephant!
06.12.2017
Lot et Garonne
A hopeful decision for Maya the female elephant!
Exploitation for shows

Thanks to the six new expert evaluations carried out by specialists at the request of One Voice, the Prefect of Lot et Garonne is asking for a new veterinary inspection as soon as possible in the circus that is holding Maya. We are all behind her, we will not let go!

At first a disappointing inspection

During the first veterinary inspection carried out following our intervention, at the request of the Prefect of Lot & Garonne, Mrs. Patricia Willaert. Two assigned veterinarians had concluded that Maya was well and that her living conditions within the circus were conforming to the legal requirements. One of them is a specialist in dogs and cats, the other works in a zoo that does not currently hold any elephants, and whose conclusions are in contradiction with those of the elephant representative of EAZA, which we asked for ourselves!

Perseverance

Following this, we organized a rally in Agen for Maya and provided the Prefecture with a new file, supported by 5 new opinions from international experts, in addition to the previous 3. On November 30th, the response we received filled us with hope.

Convinced by the new items that we added to the file, the Prefect is now asking for a new veterinary inspection in the circus that holds the elephant and this as soon as possible! We welcome her decision but remain wary: we did not ask for an inspection, the first had already proved its limits, but an expertise of well-being and animal protection, based on an article of the rural code. We wish that the person who will assess Maya’s health has the knowledge and skills to do so… In response to her mail, we have protested by reiterating our request for an expert inspection with a complete evaluation, and asked to be present or represented when it takes place. If necessary, we will not hesitate to seize the tribunal again to that effect.

8 expert evaluations confirming Maya’s dramatic state of health

The certificates we have obtained are from scientists, renowned worldwide for their expertise with elephants or wildlife (see box below). All, without exception, concluded that Maya was in poor health and two of them clearly declined the necessary examinations to be performed on the elephant, which we passed on to Patricia Willaert. According to Dr. Yaduraj Khadpekar, the stereotypical behaviors displayed by Maya seem to increase in the presence of the keeper. Her physical condition is extremely bad, which is probably due to malnutrition and poor nutrition. Her muscles are so weak that she cannot lift or support her head. He concludes: « (…) it is recommended that the elephant be moved to an appropriate recovery center and receive immediate long-term veterinary treatment and lifelong care.”

The fight must go on

More than 100,000 signatures have already been collected to obtain #JusticeforMaya. Our petition, addressed to the President of the Republic, Mr. Macron is also supported by several public figures (whose names are cited in the petition).
In addition to the letter we sent him, we asked for an appointment with Mr. Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecology, to expose Maya’s case and the conclusions of various experts.
For Maya, the fight goes on!

The experts we consulted

Ethologist Lucy Bates, Dr. Peter Gallego, Wildlife Veterinarian, Dr. Yaduraj Khadpekar, Chief Veterinarian at the SOS Wildlife Elephant Care and Conservation Center, Mathura, India, Dr. John Knight, Wildlife Veterinarian wild captive, Dr. Joyce Pool, co-founder and Scientific Director of ElephantVoices, Dr. Scarlett Magda, Veterinarian and Founding President of Veterinarians International, Dr. Willem Schatennaar, EAZA’s Senior Veterinarian for Edwin Elephants, Ed Stewart, co-founder of PAWS, known and sought after worldwide, especially for his experience with captive and wild elephants.

The fox, this unique being in the world: a new report to know him better and to better protect him

The fox, this unique being in the world: a new report to know him better and to better protect him
06.12.2017
France
The fox, this unique being in the world: a new report to know him better and to better protect him
Wildlife

In support of its Fox Protection campaign, One Voice releases a new study report. To put an end to the killings of these small canines, this tool allows us to know them better, to dismantle the received ideas and to denounce their massacre.

Who are these foxes, and especially what do they suffer and why? To put an end to the false beliefs, the leathery prejudices or the false rumours knowingly maintained by hunters. One Voice publishes, within the framework of its new campaign, a report of unpublished studies. This tool provides a detailed assessment of the current situation of small canines in our country, including ecological services they render to us and the ordeal that they endure.

Foxes accused of all illnesses

They are also criticized for killing cats, stealing chickens or game, or carrying diseases. This makes them eligible for the list of « species likely to cause damage » and to be tracked all year round. The so-called methods of « destruction » compete in a perverse way: to the shots from these licensed exterminators and in addition to this the cruel traps and the vile unearthing from their sets and dens. All means are good to permit the suffering of those who are still considered as « harmful ». During the hunting season, foxes also become « game » and the persecution intensifies from all sides. While some hunters draw their rifles, others to sound the hunt, and the practice of the unearthing takes the « noble » name of « hunting underground » to attack foxes always with the same sadism. Finally, no less than 500,000 individuals are murdered each year on national soil. At the very least, because not all deaths are recorded.

Stop this frenzy on foxes

It is urgent to put an end to this real relentlessness and to rehabilitate an animal of its bad reputation from this simple ignorance or worse just pure gossip. Because foxes are essential to the equilibrium of ecosystem, because they are not harmful and because they feel and have emotions. One Voice asks them to be removed from the list of « species likely to cause damage ». Ban their hunting!

Please sign and share our petition for foxes!

One Voice organizes a rally to demand animal-free circuses on Saturday 2nd December 2017 at 3pm near the Bormann Moreno Circus

One Voice organizes a rally to demand animal-free circuses on Saturday 2nd December 2017 at 3pm near the Bormann Moreno Circus
30.11.2017
Paris
One Voice organizes a rally to demand animal-free circuses on Saturday 2nd December 2017 at 3pm near the Bormann Moreno Circus
Exploitation for shows

Following the death of Mevy the tigress on Friday November 24^th, the association One Voice organizes a public gathering around the circus Bormann Moreno, in the Place Balard, Paris on Saturday December 2^ndat 15h.

The public must be aware of all the inherent dangers in the presence of wild animals in circuses. They must also know what it means for a wild animal or even one born in a circus, a life of captivity and homelessness, without ever having a place to take refuge. Because once informed about these wild animals who are transformed into mere objects, people suddenly no longer support shows using animals.

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice elaborates: « For a tiger, a natural being, it needs open spaces and to be able to flee from the threat of something. This simple fear and this legitimate need for freedom do not disappear with a life of detention, even after generations. In fleeing, Mevy certainly expressed for the only time in her life, a natural behaviour for a tiger. Animals have nothing to do with caged circus trucks, literally or figuratively. We will not rest as long as this exploitation is allowed to continue. »

The question is unanimous among the experts: the European association for Zoos (EAZA), the national order for veterinarians agree that these circus shows and the travelling cannot fulfil the conditions necessary for the well-being of wild animals. However, the authorities persist in ignoring the repeated and substantiated requests from the association.

The circuses with animals are private companies that thrive on the permanent stress they put on the animals, all of this with makeup, glitter and fanfare. Mevy escaped while under the responsibility of the circus. This event put the public in double danger: by the presence of the tigress on the public road and that of a man, who was armed with a shotgun, in the streets of Paris and at the same time as the rush hour. Also, in this area there is a hospital, a tram and an RER station.

At a time when 22 countries in the world prohibit circuses with animals, including 10 in Europe, and 68 municipalities in France; where the population is largely in the majority to no longer endorse this type of leisure activity, the French public authorities cannot remain blind and deaf any longer.

One Voice asks the Paris Police Prefect Michel Delpuech not to allow circuses with animals into the capital and to Nicolas Hulot, Minister of Ecological Transition and Solidarity, to ban the exploitation of animals in circuses.

All the documents mentioned in this press release are available on request.

Press contacts: For further information and interview requests:
presse@one-voice.fr or 06 43 26 78 80.

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Death of a tigress: Mevy escaped from the circus, her trainer pulled the trigger

Death of a tigress: Mevy escaped from the circus, her trainer pulled the trigger
28.11.2017
Paris
Death of a tigress: Mevy escaped from the circus, her trainer pulled the trigger
Exploitation for shows

One Voice leads a nonviolent fight to defend animal rights and respect all life forms. The organization operates independently and is thus free to speak and act freely.

In Paris, « city of lights », a young tigress was killed on Friday 24th November 2017. Having escaped from the circus, which had obviously not respected the safety standards, Mevy was shot down by her trainer. Angry, One Voice is pressing charges. Wild animals must be in the wild and not kept in a circus trailer!

One Voice presses charges for a failure in safety.

Whether the circus people utter the words sabotage by “animalists” or not, we are convinced of their inability to safely keep animals that they possess and de facto they do not comply with the requirements of the 2011 decree.
And what should we think of public safety or of the neighbouring populations after Friday’s sinister accident?

We accept that there may always be a chance of human error, but is it really necessary to run the risk of seeing wild animals escaping from cages? Must we get to the point of shooting animals down to protect humans? Wouldn’t it be more logical to allow the animals? Disgusted by Mévy, the tigresses’ sad fate, we complain about the damage to the physical integrity of the animal.

Mevy was killed because she showed a natural behavior in escaping from her cage, perhaps this was the only time she could afford to show this in her life: wild animals have no place in circuses!

Mevy’s life in the circuses

The tigress was only 18 months old when she was shot and her existence has merely been one of exploitation for the benefit of entertainment. To give an idea of her daily routine, she had to face long journeys in trucks, sharing living accommodation with 8 other congeners, while the tiger is a solitary animal, and to endure violent training sessions to learn how to parade and stand on stools. In the wild, there are only 3,500 tigers left. Their preservation is vital. Their place is not in circuses.

One Voice, the whistle blower

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. One Voice has, on several occasions, alerted the authorities of the risks incurred by animals in circuses and by the population in their vicinity. During the summer, elephants have « paraded » in the streets without any sanction being given, whether from the Prefects or the Ministry. How many deaths will it take for the authorities to react? Must we recall the sad case of Samba in 2013; the elephant that killed a man while trying to escape from a circus. But why do all these animals want to flee from circuses, despite receiving, we are told, so much love from their trainers?

If, like us, you are appalled to see the same nonsense repeatedly: join us Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 15h, a few steps from the circus Bormann Moreno in Paris, in front of France Television for a rally for Mévy, and all the others.

Tiger shot dead in the middle of Paris: One Voice has filed a complaint and has asked for the ban on animals in circuses

Tiger shot dead in the middle of Paris: One Voice has filed a complaint and has asked for the ban on animals in circuses
25.11.2017
Paris
Tiger shot dead in the middle of Paris: One Voice has filed a complaint and has asked for the ban on animals in circuses
Exploitation for shows

The place for wild animals is not in circuses but in the wild. Circuses cannot guarantee the safety of people or the well-being and safety of the animals.

These companies are obviously not able to meet the safety requirements set by the 2011 decree, as witnessed by the accidents that occur every year, escaping animals, and / or attacking humans, which leads to death of humans and the death of the animals.

Circuses know that they risk penalties if they report accidents, so we can question the reliability of their statements. They keep animals that represent real risks to the public. These same animals which, in zoos, are the subject of very strict regulations with regard to security.

One Voice has been denouncing security problems in circuses for years, especially since elephant Samba killed a man during his escape in September 2013 in Lizy-sur-Ourq. Elephants currently in circus menageries are kept enclosed using electric wires, the same system as used for cows.

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, says: « In recent months, elephants have been repeatedly » paraded « freely in the streets. We wrote to the Prefects of the regions concerned to ask them to enforce the law. Nothing has been done, the circuses have not been sanctioned, the ministry has not reacted either. Do we wait for an elephant to escape and kill again so that the risks are taken seriously and that legislation is enforced? The trainer, owner of the tiger shot, sits on the commission of the Ministry of Ecology who gives the circuses the authorization to hold wild animals, is this serious? An animal belonging to a protected species according to Appendix I of CITES, is protected because it is in great danger of extinction. One such protected species has just been killed in the city where it should have never been in the first place. Circuses should no longer be allowed to keep wild animals. »

One Voice files a complaint for the violation of an animal’s physical integrity.

Already 22 countries in the world and 68 French municipalities refuse circuses with wild animals. The National Association of Veterinarians and the Federation of Veterinary Syndicates of France (FSVF) have also recognized this, at the request of One Voice, that their well-being is incompatible with the activity of circuses. Ending the exploitation of wild animals in circuses is an inescapable evolution for all modern societies. The culture of the circus must abandon this practice which subjects’ children to a spectacle of violence and the non-respect of animals.

It is time to end wild animals in trucks being transported on the roads in France. Several decades have passed already for elephants that
were born in the wild of Africa or Asia! All have the right to a dignified end of life, in appropriate structures, far from being hit and of boredom.

One Voice, in a letter co-signed with Jacques-Antoine Granjon, CEO and founder of the group Private Sales, asked Nicolas Hulot a few days ago to take a stand against animals in circuses.

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Jacques-Antoine Granjon and One Voice: Together for the release of animals held in circuses!

Jacques-Antoine Granjon and One Voice: Together for the release of animals held in circuses!
24.11.2017
France
Jacques-Antoine Granjon and One Voice: Together for the release of animals held in circuses!
Exploitation for shows

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, and Jacques-Antoine Granjon, CEO and founder of a Private Sales Group, sent a joint letter to Nicolas Hulot, Minister of the Ecological and Solidarity Transition, asking him to ban the exploitation of wild animals in circuses.

While an increasing number of countries around the world and cities in France ban shows with animals, unfortunately French roads continue to see these circus vehicles, where lions, elephants, hippopotamuses and monkeys are crammed into trailers, these animals are on the brink of madness.

One Voice recalls that animals are recognized under French law as « sentient beings », and that the National Veterinary Order and the Federation of French Veterinary Trade Unions (FSVF) confirm they want to go towards « the prohibition of the use of wild mammals in itinerant circuses » and that » the conditions under which animals are held cannot satisfy their physiological and social needs « .

« Our Minister of Ecology, known for his commitment to Nature, is well placed to understand what these living conditions mean for wild animals he has seen in the wild. One Voice is counting on him to ban their exploitation and allow us to free them, « says Muriel Arnal, founder of One Voice.

From the 24^thNovember, and for 48 hours, on the artistic facade of the business building of Private Sales at Le Verone, overlooking the A1 motorway and the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis (93), a photo of the elephant Maya will be displayed. No less than 350,000 motorists pass through it every day, which will be affected by the #JusticePourMaya message.

« To my measure, I support all the fighting of One Voice, and especially that for circuses without animals, » says Jacques-Antoine Granjon.

Lettre à Monsieur le Ministre Nicolas Hulot

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État des lieux de l’interdiction des cirques avec animaux sauvages

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Animaux dans les cirques – Pour la fin d’une exploitation aussi cruelle qu’insensée

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To obtain the release of Maya the elephant from the circus who has flouted her basic needs, One Voice organizes a rally in front of the Prefecture of Agen, place de Verdun, November 18th, 2017 at 2.00 pm.

To obtain the release of Maya the elephant from the circus who has flouted her basic needs, One Voice organizes a rally in front of the Prefecture of Agen, place de Verdun, November 18th, 2017 at 2.00 pm.
16.11.2017
Agen
To obtain the release of Maya the elephant from the circus who has flouted her basic needs, One Voice organizes a rally in front of the Prefecture of Agen, place de Verdun, November 18th, 2017 at 2.00 pm.
Exploitation for shows

The prefect of Lot-et-Garonne has until November 18^th, 2017 to order the withdrawal of Maya from the circus that holds and a veterinary expertise, which she refuses to do. She also refused to receive representatives of the association who wanted to submit a new report on the elephant.

It is unacceptable that a State representative can treat an animal whose health is deteriorating in such a way and while it should be responsible for the animal’s well-being! Just take one look at her feet, her nails, her left paw is paralyzed, her thinness, her skin … Should we really add any more?

The testimonials from veterinarians and expert Asian elephant ethologist consultants – Lucy Bates, John Knight, and Joyce Pool – say that this elephant is in a state of stress, pain and discomfort. They have even mentioned euthanasia if she is not treated urgently, to relieve her suffering, so much is so obvious: Maya is dying before our eyes.

The courts have criticized One Voice, saying that these reports are based on just a video: but the association has been asking for an independent veterinary expertise for months. Why is this simple and objective measure denied ? The veterinarians who have given certificates to the court at the request of the Prefecture are specialists only in cats, dogs, or reptiles! These professionals are quite respectable but what do they know about elephants? What are their qualifications for giving a review on Maya?

Maya has spent more than 40 years in circuses. She is isolated from other elephants, where an elephant needs social contact; she is forced to spend her days there in confinement, where as a free elephant walks up to several kilometres a day.

The National Association of Veterinarians and the Federation of Veterinary Syndicates of France (FSVF) confirmed that they are following the advice of the Federation of European Veterinarians (FVE) respectively to « promote the ban » and want a « strict and definitive ban » of « the use of wild mammals in itinerant circuses » and both confirm that the « conditions under which animals are held cannot meet their physiological and social needs« . So, what is the state waiting for? What is the justice system waiting for?

The judge did not want to offend the services of the Prefecture, the Prefect does not want to go against the decision of the judge. We are going around in circles while Maya’s health is in danger.

Circassians seek to portray us as extremists, those of us whose sole purpose is to save a very vulnerable animal from currently and which shows obvious signs of physical and mental decay. For their part, circuses deprive animals of their fundamental freedoms.

Civil society also wants Maya to end her days in a sanctuary and not in the trailer of a truck or chained up in a parking lot!

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, says: « Maya needs urgent care. Winter is coming, we are terribly worried that she will die in the truck, out of sight. If no action is taken to help her, we will file a new appeal before the judge on Monday. »

The history of the battle for Maya: Articles and press releases

The torture of Maya – July 10th, 2017

One Voice in court for the release of Maya the elephant – 06th October 2017

Maya the elephant is exhausted! – Tuesday, October 10th, 2017

An historical announcement: In response to One Voice, the National Veterinary Order condemns wild animal shows in traveling circuses and legitimizes One Voice’s fight for their release – October 11^th, 2017

One Voice at the Administrative Court of Bordeaux: Hearing on 17^thOctober 2017 to rule on the release of the Mayan elephant from the circus holding it – 16^thOctober 2017

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Death of Nao, a murdered cat

Death of Nao, a murdered cat
08.11.2017
France
Death of Nao, a murdered cat
Domestic animals

After Chevelu, Griffin and many others, Nao is added to the long list of cats that are victims of abuse and cruelty inflicted by humans. Our association cannot let such crimes pass unnoticed and must intervene: Zoe Cell is mobilized to unravel this sordid story with the support of the police and the justice system for this poor deceased feline.

Nao, found dead

October 31^st2017 in the evening, in Bassens-en-Savoie, Nao leaves the house of Madame X. He walks from time to time in the surrounding area and in a meadow near the home. Every morning and after his nocturnal escapades, the cat is there waiting as soon as the shutters open. But this November 1^st2017, Nao is not there.

Worried, Mrs. X left a message on Pet Alert and went in search of her little companion, without success. The next day, on her way to work, she finds him in the meadow. Nao is lying dead on his right flank: his tail is torn off, his face swollen and bruised, his eyes are lifeless and opaque …

Fortunately, Madame X is not alone in discovering the body: a policeman passes at the same time and also takes note of the animal’s wounds. The cat has no blood on the body and no trace is found at the scene: murdered in another place, Nao was most likely moved to the meadow. After gathering the necessary information to file a complaint at the Chambéry police station, Mrs X was authorized to bury Nao to give him a dignified end.

One Voice mobilizes with the Zoe Cell

When compiling the information, Mrs X learns that she can receive the support from an association « to help victims of criminal offenses ». It is therefore to our association that she turns and in particularly to our Zoe Cell, defending animal victims of cruelty. On the police side, the investigation is open. On the spot where Nao was found, a camera is spotted by Mrs X: She hopes that the images can help the investigation and identify the torturer or torturers of this small cat … From our side, we will graciously defend the cat and having already filed a complaint for acts of cruelty. Because we are convinced that acts of such violence are not tolerable on any living being!

A demand for an exemplary sentence for acts of cruelty

The association cannot allow humans to perform such acts of violence on our dear companions of life. Last September we filed a civil law suit in the courts for Chevelu, who died of the violent beatings from a human. Following the trial, the torturer was sentenced to six months in prison. As a reminder, the latter had let his dog die before putting an end to the life of the little cat. He had even been deprived of custody of his child; a finding supporting the idea that there is a link between violence on animals and that done to humans.

The case is to follow but, in the meantime, we invite you to sign the petition so that all violence, whomever the victim will be condemned. The list must no longer lengthen and those responsible for acts of cruelty must be held accountable for their actions!

One Voice campaigns: Peace for the foxes!

One Voice campaigns: Peace for the foxes!
08.11.2017
France
One Voice campaigns: Peace for the foxes!
Wildlife

In France, the life of the fox is a nightmare. They are mistakenly thought to be bad, and suffer the worst, hunted down in their dens, killed with indescribable cruelty. With its new campaign, One Voice calls for a ban on their hunting and trapping!

Foxes classified as « harmful »: opens the door to cruelty

Since 2016, we no longer say « harmful », but « species likely to cause damage ». In fact, it does not change anything. Foxes can be hunted and trapped all year long, including expectant mothers and their cubs. And as the horror does not stop there, all means, or almost, are good: we can rip them apart, trap them, unearth them – that is to say, to drive them into their dens, with or without dogs before extracting them and putting them to death with sharp teeth, pickaxes, knives, or by fire. And then of course, there are the « classic » hunting methods: hunting with dogs, on the lookout, to run … It follows that foxes are the most « destroyed » mammals in the territory according to the ONCFS.

Rumours about foxes

There are so many things blamed on foxes, that one might wonder what nature had in mind. Cat-eaters, cunning brigands of poultry-houses, carriers of diseases, one would be almost afraid of them because their image is so bad. Yet these are just beliefs to be dismantled. First, let’s establish once and for all that foxes do not eat cats: they even tend to avoid them. On the other hand, they only enter poorly designed poultry houses. If it is easy to get food, why not use it and even more when you have mouths to feed? … And finally, thanks to vaccination campaigns, rabies has been eradicated in France. The killings, on this occasion, showed their inefficiency and even the positive impact on the progression of the virus … It is the same for Echinococcosis, which they can be carriers of and that they can transmit to humans. Again, experts agree that only deworming can be effective, slaughtering only makes things worse!

Yet foxes are more than useful!

Why then do we want to eradicate foxes? Well because they compete with hunters who release game into the wild that has been raised by them for hunting purposes, easy prey for them … And because they allow to continue to practice this odious « hobby » all year round! The quirk in all this is that foxes are our allies in many areas. By regulating rodent populations, they not only reduce the use of chemical pesticides, harmful for everyone, but also Lyme disease, carried by ticks and rodents…

Foxes, sentient and intelligent beings to be protected

By their presence, foxes enchant forests and sometimes even our cities. Reminders of a wild nature, meeting them at the bend of a path should arouse only wonder. They are sentient beings, intelligent, capable of emotions and who in many ways resemble our canine companions. For them, One Voice launches a new campaign and asks for their removal from the list of « harmful » and the ban on their hunting!

Please sign and share our petition for foxes!

Fox protection: One Voice campaigning to rehabilitate the status of an animal so odiously hunted

Fox protection: One Voice campaigning to rehabilitate the status of an animal so odiously hunted
08.11.2017
Fox protection: One Voice campaigning to rehabilitate the status of an animal so odiously hunted
Wildlife

On November 8^th, at 3 pm in the boulevard St-Germain, the Parisians will be able to see a couple of foxes (a man and a woman body-painted) come to deliver to the Ministry of the Ecological and Solidary Transition the elements of a document designed as a safeguard. A document prepared by One Voice in an emergency …

This is a new campaign carried by the association One Voice and which aims to rehabilitate the fox in part of their campaigns. Because the animal is essential to the balance of ecosystems, because it is not harmful, but sensitive, One Voice wishes that it is urgently removed from the list of « species likely to cause damage » and ultimately, be protected by the law.

A large scale and a continuous massacre

According to official figures, it is estimated that at least 430,000 foxes are killed each year in France. In addition to the registered killings, there are also the unregistered shootings, some 70,000 individuals trapped and those killed in various other ways (hunting with dogs, underground hunting, accidents, etc.). One Voice denounces a carnage that never ceases because the red fox, according to the law, is on the list 2 of « species likely to cause damage » in 91 departments. This terminology, adopted in 2016 by the Environmental Code, refers to animals previously labelled as « pests”. It amounts to authorizing its extermination all year round and by the various means mentioned. According to the National Office of Hunting and Wildlife (ONCFS), the fox is the most mammal destroyed on our territory « with an average levy approaching 0.5 individuals / km2 ».

Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, denounces the undeniable disinformation that these animals are victims of:

« The fox is at the expense of a bad image, knowingly maintained by the hunting lobbies, who wish that the fox is a year-round target and to
eliminate it by any means, this natural predator of small game. No, foxes are not in surplus because they adapt their populations to the resources available.

Muriel Arnal is also indignant of this ecological nonsense: « While hunters are killing the foxes in huge numbers and just for fun, the farmers must resort to using dangerous chemicals, such as Bromadiolone, a very toxic anticoagulant, to protect their crops from the cyclic proliferation of voles … when usually it’s the foxes who keep the vole population in check ! »

The One Voice campaign which is on the theme of protecting foxes is based on a very recent survey. The report, is a sentience sheet detailing the social aspects, the intelligence of these mammals, along with a public leaflet and an online petition on its website (www.one-voice.fr). The day of action is on the 8^thNovember, it aims to remind the authorities that the fox is not a threat but an ecological ally, by the predation of rodents, eating the bodies of other animals, helping to reduce the damage done by voles on crops and to limit the number of animals carrying ticks and
the risk of Lyme disease .

One Voice also recalls, besides its ecological role, how the fox is an endearing animal, endowed with extraordinary capacities of adaptation, its learning and memory, developing a social organization and elaborate modes of communication, with signs of intelligent life, but too often ignored.

Alveolar echinococcosis: a health risk nonsense

Today, while rabies has been officially eradicated, hunters brandish the spectre of the Prefects of yet another zoonosis that of Alveolar Echinococcosis. However, several studies show that the impact of this disease, reduced in humans, is reinforced by the fox’s slaughter
while other methods are recommended by the health authorities.

Caused by the tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus, this zoonosis can be carried by several animals, including the fox, which prey on voles. A
four-year study from Nancy showed that a protocol of slaughter was not effective in reducing the fox population and that this measure even caused « an increase in the prevalence of E. multilocular, from 40% to 55%. %, while remaining stable in a neighbouring control zone (585 Km2). In conclusion: « We therefore recommend that managers consider alternative methods such as anthelmintic bait, which has proven effective elsewhere, to fight against Alveolar Echinococcosis« . Thus, the use of pest control as a preventive measure or treatment would have been a much better benefit. A view supported by the World Health Organization: « Regular deworming of domestic carnivores that come in contact with wild rodents should help reduce the risk of infection in humans. (…) The killing of foxes and stray dogs seems very inefficient. The sustainability and cost effectiveness of such campaigns are controversial”.

Trapping, cruel and uncontrolled techniques

The official traps authorized for the capture of ex-pests can fall into five different categories. Concerning foxes, the most common are clamping traps, wire traps and spring traps. The law states that traps must be regularly visited to prevent the trapped animal from experiencing a long and cruel agony before dying. How many traps respect these instructions which no one controls the application of ?

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