Ten tigers rescued from a truck: at the Amiens Court of Appeal, we face the convicted trainer

Ten tigers rescued from a truck: at the Amiens Court of Appeal, we face the convicted trainer

Ten tigers rescued from a truck: at the Amiens Court of Appeal, we face the convicted trainer
29.09.2025
Somme
Ten tigers rescued from a truck: at the Amiens Court of Appeal, we face the convicted trainer
Exploitation for shows

In December 2020, following a lengthy investigation by One Voice, ten tigers were seized from trainer Mario Masson and transferred to a shelter under police escort. The man, who kept these animals in a truck from which they were rarely allowed to leave, was convicted in 2022. He has appealed this historic ruling. On Monday, October 6, at 1:30 p.m., we will be present at the Amiens Court of Appeal to once again defend those he mistreated.

In February 2020, we filmed the final images of an investigation which lasted more than a year in Picardy, and for which we took immense risks. The ten tigers that our investigators observed for dozens of hours lived locked in a cage truck all the time, in pouring rain and scorching heat alike. Without any enrichment, crammed together, fighting for enough water and food… they lived in hell, only coming out for a few brutal shows, notably at Parc Saint Paul.

Finally seized and placed in a sanctuary

In December 2020, after repeated alerts to the authorities, Rani, Tim, Leo, Tara, Yma, Oona, Dian, Ashley, Lily, and Douglas were released from their cages in the largest seizure of captive tigers in Europe in the last ten years. We had everything planned: a veterinarian, transport, and arrival at Tonga Terre d’Accueil. The threats from Mario Masson and his circus colleagues did not change anything: one month after receiving first aid at our partner sanctuary, the tigers finally discovered the joy of running and rolling around in the grass.

A landmark verdict

On September 20, 2022, Mario Masson appeared before the Beauvais legal tribunal on no fewer than twelve charges. A few weeks later, he was found guilty of animal abuse, with the aggravating circumstance of being a professional. This was a historic first in France. And that’s not all, as the trainer was also found guilty of illegal exploitation, illegal acquisition and sale of animals, labor law violations, and fraud. The tribunal banned him from engaging in any activity involving animals for two years, along with a two-year ineligibility period and a fine. This tribunal decision is as exemplary as it is necessary.

Almost five years after the rescue of the big cats and three years after the first instance judgment against their tormentor, we will be present at the Amiens Court of Appeal on October 6 at 1:30 p.m. to request a verdict that is just as firm as the first.

A thousand badgers were saved from being dug up in 2025 by ASPAS, AVES, and One Voice

A thousand badgers were saved from being dug up in 2025 by ASPAS, AVES, and One Voice

A thousand badgers were saved from being dug up in 2025 by ASPAS, AVES, and One Voice
29.09.2025
France
A thousand badgers were saved from being dug up in 2025 by ASPAS, AVES, and One Voice
Wildlife

While France is one of the last European countries to allow the additional underground hunting season, the fight against this cruel and non-selective practice is progressing thanks to the actions of nature conservation associations. For several years, ASPAS, AVES, and One Voice, with the support of numerous local associations, have been challenging prefectural decrees authorizing this practice outside the hunting season, starting on May 15, everywhere they can. Badger cubs, still dependent on their parents and present in their burrows at this time of year, are directly affected by this indiscriminate hunting.

Every year, the dozens of requests made by our associations against these “additional periods” result in numerous victories. In 2025, twelve decrees were suspended by the courts and nearly 1,000 badgers were spared the hell of the pliers, from the Aisne to the Haute-Vienne, via the Eure region.

And this fight is progressing. Some areas, such as the Loir-et-Cher and the Vienne regions, no longer allow underground hunting. Almost everywhere else, prefectures are being forced to reduce hunting seasons. In 2020, 72 of them allowed hunters to start their digging up on May 15. By 2024, that number had fallen to 19, and by 2025, to just 12. 

However, agricultural and hunting lobbies are increasing pressure to influence prefectural decisions. For several months, government departments, working hand in hand with hunters, have been sharpening their arguments and adapting their strategies, no doubt hoping that the courts will eventually tire of ruling in favor of the associations. 

While 84% of French people say they are in favor of banning this archaic practice (IPSOS/One Voice poll, 2024), our associations remain fully mobilized and will use all the tools at their disposal to continue the fight next season.

 

Eight dolphins from Marineland in danger!

Eight dolphins from Marineland in danger!

Eight dolphins from Marineland in danger!
25.09.2025
Antibes
Eight dolphins from Marineland in danger!
Exploitation for shows

One Voice calls on the Ministry of Ecological Transition to take a stand against the imminent transfer of eight dolphins from Marineland in Antibes to China, via Spain. The park has apparently taken the liberty of entering into a transaction with Selwo Marina in Malaga concerning eight of the twelve dolphins still on site. This would be the worst possible scenario, especially given that discussions were still ongoing at the beginning of the month to ensure a peaceful retirement for these animals, which have been captive and on display for years. Given the urgency of the situation, we have requested a meeting with the Ministry of Ecological Transition.

A dangerous transfer, with China as the final destination

As we know, this transfer is only temporary. This Spanish dolphinarium will be just a stopover on the way to China, as happened to the sea lions from Marineland at the beginning of the year, which passed through Madrid Zoo. This transport is as dangerous as it is trying for the animals. Isidore, a sea lion from Marineland, did not survive.

These dolphins will once again be exploited and confined, in even more deplorable conditions, in this distant country with no animal protection laws.

Only a few days left to stop the transfer!

For now, there are no cranes or crates visible at Marineland, but things are likely to change in the coming days. It takes time for Spanish trainers to “work” with the dolphins.

So there are still a few days left to stop this unacceptable project. One Voice is calling on the government to take a stand against this project, which goes completely against the spirit of the 2021 law aimed at protecting dolphins and orcas.

Given the urgency of the situation, we have requested a meeting with the Ministry of Ecological Transition. A meeting will be held this Friday, September 26, at 3 p.m.

Alongside the associations Tilikum Spirit and C’est Assez, One Voice refuses to abandon these animals to their fate.

Nearly ten months after its permanent closure, Marineland has a full responsibility towards those it has kept captive for so many years. These orcas and dolphins have enriched the park, attracted crowds, and made its shareholders prosper. Now that the stands are empty, are the animals to be relegated to mere assets to be liquidated? This logic is unworthy. This disengagement, both moral and political, is unacceptable.

For years, we have been demanding one thing: a dignified and peaceful retirement for all the animals exploited by the park.

Traditional hunting: the Council of State suspends new authorisations, saving 100,000 larks

Traditional hunting: the Council of State suspends new authorisations, saving 100,000 larks

Traditional hunting: the Council of State suspends new authorisations, saving 100,000 larks
24.09.2025
France
Traditional hunting: the Council of State suspends new authorisations, saving 100,000 larks
Wildlife

Once again, the government has attempted to authorise traditional lark hunting in the south-west of France, bowing to the constant pressure from the hunting lobby. And once again, the courts have upheld the law by suspending these decrees just a few days before the start of the hunting season. Thanks to requests made by One Voice and the LPO, nearly 100,000 skylarks have escaped this planned massacre. This is a victory for the law, but above all for these animals who are victims of archaic traditions.

Once again, the message is clear: traditional hunting is unacceptable!

It is a battle that is being repeated year after year, despite our victories and despite the opposition of the French people, and one that we will continue to fight relentlessly so that skylarks are no longer captured in nets by the tens of thousands before being killed by hand.

This is gratuitous cruelty, passed down from another age, with nothing to justify it, especially at a time when their populations are plummeting everywhere.

For years, the courts, following cases brought by One Voice and the LPO, have been revoking these authorisations, whether they be attempts at “experiments” or orders setting quotas for catches using nets, glue or stone-crush traps.

But a few weeks ago, the government, always ready to bestow gifts upon the hunters, authorised them to kill nearly 100,000 larks in the autumn of 2025. Once again, the Council of State said stop.

If it perseveres, the government will always find us standing in its way

By persisting in reintroducing these practices, the government is trampling on animal life, court decisions and the public interest. It is time to put an end to this pointless, costly and undignified standoff, given that 83% of French people are opposed to these methods (Ipsos/One Voice, October 2022).

Thanks to this victory, 100,000 lives will be spared this year. But we will remain vigilant. Because we know that without particularly strong public pressure, they will regroup and reattack. While our request against the capture of wood pigeons with nets is ongoing, we remain fully mobilised to speak out on behalf of all these birds slaughtered for the deadly pleasure of a small minority.

The government declares war on wolves

The government declares war on wolves

The government declares war on wolves
24.09.2025
France
The government declares war on wolves
Wildlife

A real shock. On September 23, 2025, the government announced its intention to make it even easier to shoot wolves. Currently, each shot must be authorized, which we can challenge in court. Tomorrow, farmers should be able to shoot… on simple declaration. This is a convenient solution that is not really a solution at all, blaming wolves for all the problems faced by farmers so as not to have to tackle the real issues, and simply buying a precarious social peace. But at what cost? We will continue to support the only approach that works, which remains completely ignored by the government and farmers: cohabitation.

From a “strictly protected” status to harassment by shooting

Despite citizen mobilization, the state remains deaf to the plight of wolves, which it continues to serve up to an intensive farming lobby that has only one goal: their outright extermination. A few months ago, European authorities lowered the species’ protection status from “strictly protected” to “protected”. The French government followed suit, inventing the absurd concept of “non-protectability” for certain herds to make shooting wolves even easier.

Today, another step has been taken. Shooting permits are still subject to strict conditions. These conditions are often ignored by the authorities, as confirmed by the courts, but they do exist. Tomorrow, farmers will only have to “declare” their shootings. Or when the state no longer even pretends to fulfill its duties. A bloodbath is planned. 

Stop the escalation: there is only one solution, coexistence

What will be the next step? We can already hear the hunters approaching and demanding that hunting of the species be opened, because they cannot stand the competition or the fact that wolves are natural predators of wild boars. As for the farmers, if their distress is real, where are their tears when they send hundreds of sheep to the slaughterhouse? Slaughtering wolves will not solve any problems. The escalation must stop. 

We stand ready and will challenge these deadly plans if they are implemented. Coexistence is possible, provided that the state provides the necessary resources and stops submitting to agricultural lobbies. Massive funding for protection measures: that is the only viable option!

Goose neck game: Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom persists, with the support of hunters

Goose neck game: Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom persists, with the support of hunters

Goose neck game: Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom persists, with the support of hunters
24.09.2025
Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom, Puy-de-Dôme, France
Goose neck game: Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom persists, with the support of hunters
Exploitation for shows

The outcry provoked by our investigations and the veto issued by the Puy-de-Dôme prefecture were not enough to dissuade them. On September 21, by organizing the goose neck game, the municipality of Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom chose to promote violence in a “festive” way. Because we reminded them that it is forbidden to kill animals in order to mistreat their remains, this year the organizers called on… hunters. According to our information, they did not hesitate to “supply” them with rabbits and pheasants that they had killed themselves. 

Teenagers barely out of childhood tried again and again before successfully decapitating pheasants, rabbits, and geese suspended by their legs from a rope. The scene took place in the middle of the street, to the cheers of the crowd and right in front of young children. We have consistently denounced this initiatory custom from another time.

In 2023, the images from our investigation sparked a torrent of outrage. This year, we once again wrote to the authorities, including the prefect of the Puy-de-Dôme region, to demand that this “game” be banned. The response was swift: within hours, the prefecture reminded the mayor that this practice was illegal and ordered him to take action. For our part, we also contacted the mayor and the organizers.

Hunters who kill… and encourage the worst

The organizers chose to ignore this. Certain traditions can be deeply ingrained, and the hunting lobby will stop at nothing. In the height of cynicism, the geese were replaced by stuffed animals—a symbol that is just as harmful to young children. But the pheasants and rabbits on display were very real, killed, according to our information, by hunters—the very same people who loudly proclaim their respect for animals and nature.

A ritual that is bending and will eventually disappear

These acts of brutality, which are glorified as feats, are anything but festive: they trivialize animal abuse and present a model from another era to today’s youth. The links between animal abuse and violence against humans are well established. Everywhere else, our efforts are bearing fruit: Arfeuilles and Lesmont have reversed their decisions this year. We want to believe that the continuation of the “goose neck” game in Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom is the last gasp of a dying practice.

With your support, we will continue to take action to ensure that no more animals are killed or mutilated in the name of celebration. 

Mountain galliformes: understanding them to better protect them

Mountain galliformes: understanding them to better protect them

Mountain galliformes: understanding them to better protect them
23.09.2025
France
Mountain galliformes: understanding them to better protect them
Wildlife

Six species of galliformes still inhabit the summits of the French mountains. Extremely discreet and elusive, these birds are survivors from the Ice Age. Today, their ability to adapt is reaching its limits: forgotten by all, they are gradually dying out due to human pressure. We are fighting for them, before it is too late.

Cousins descended from the same ancient lineage, the Phasianidae, mountain galliformes have survived throughout the ages by braving the harsh cold and the test of time. They share common characteristics: a hardy biology, a round and stocky silhouette, short wings, sturdy legs made for walking or running rather than flying, and a camouflaged plumage that makes them almost invisible in their habitat. Yet each of the six species residing in our mountains also has its own distinct characteristics and its own unique way of approaching mountaineering. But regardless of their lifestyle and the altitude at which they live, all are now under threat.

Hazel grouse, ghosts of the damp forests

Altitude: 800 to 1600 m

Hazel grouse live in the quiet darkness of mixed forests. Virtually invisible, they never stray from their small territory, feeding on birch buds and hazel catkins. Like hushed shadows, they move silently and leave no trace. Unsuited to open landscapes, they particularly suffer from human activity and excessive logging.

 

Capercaillies, giants of clay

Altitude: 1,000 to 1,800 m

Massive and weighing up to four kilograms, capercaillies are the largest of the European galliformes. They depend on old, quiet, unfragmented forests. Every spring, they put on a striking display, folding their wings, puffing themselves up and snapping their beaks to impress their rivals. But their habitats are shrinking due to logging, human activity and global warming. They disappeared from the Alps in the 1990s. Only a few groups of individuals still survive in the Jura, Vosges and Pyrenees, besieged by roads, ski lifts and tourist activities.

 

Pyrenean grey partridges, resilient in the mountain pastures

Altitude: 1,200 to 2,200 m

With the transformation of the landscapes, they have only been able to survive in a few rare Pyrenean valleys where pastoral practices have remained gentle. Nesting at grass level, they depend on a mosaic of vegetation and non-intensive livestock farming to feed their young. But if pastoralism intensifies or disappears, the balance is upset: predators advance, shelters close up, eggs are trampled. They live in a narrow margin between too much neglect and too much pressure.

 

Black grouse, acrobats of the clearings

Altitude: 1200 to 2300 m

Every spring, between forests and mountain pastures, the males ritually parade in the clearings, puffing out their chests and spreading their lyre-shaped tails. In winter, they hide in the snow, digging an insulating burrow to conserve their energy. They are among the galliformes most threatened by human disturbance: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiles, noise, etc. Every time they flee to escape humans, they have to draw on their limited reserves.

 

Rock partridges, acrobats of the dry heights

Altitude: 1,500 to 2,800 m

The emblematic birds of the southern Alps, these partridges climb high to live among the rocks and ridges. Their striped plumage makes them almost invisible.

They feed on seeds, insects and roots. Running rather than flying, they dart between rocks as soon as anyone approaches. Like other mountain galliformes, they are paying a high price for increasing human activity and the encroachment on their habitats.

 

Rock ptarmigans, hermits of the peaks

Altitude: above 2,000 metres, sometimes up to 3,000 metres

At altitudes above 2,000 metres, among scree and sparse heathland, rock ptarmigans (or snow partridges) play at camouflage. Changing with the seasons, their brown spotted plumage in summer turns pure white in winter. They nest under rocks and feed on very little: lichens, seeds and buds. Faithful to their territory, they brave storms, hiding in rock crevices or under the snow. They are built for wind, cold and hostile environments. But not for helicopters or ever higher ski runs. Furthermore, during the breeding season, pastoralism poses a major threat to the survival of the broods.

 

On borrowed time

These birds, whose distant ancestors learned to cope with the climatic and geographical changes in their environment, now find themselves defenceless against human encroachment. So much so that the six species in our country are on borrowed time. Black grouse, rock ptarmigan, hazel grouse, Pyrenean grey partridge, rock partridge… all are ‘near threatened’ according to the IUCN. As for the capercaillies, their situation is even more critical, with numbers in constant decline: they are classified as ‘vulnerable’. Global warming is changing the seasons. Forestry and pastoral practices are altering their habitats. Ski resorts are encroaching on their territory. Chairlift cables are injuring them. Every escape costs them precious calories.

 

And yet… we hunt them

Despite this critical situation, scandalous prefectural decrees set the number of individuals to be “harvested” each year. Only capercaillies are theoretically spared due to their conservation status and the action of associations that obtained a five-year suspension of their killing from the Council of State in 2022. We continue to fight to prevent the relentless persecution they are facing, and to raise awareness of these birds, whose rituals and ancient memories have been passed down to us. The mountains can still echo with their songs. Provided we give them back the right to live.

Justice for fifteen mutilated horses and ponies, five of which died

Justice for fifteen mutilated horses and ponies, five of which died

Justice for fifteen mutilated horses and ponies, five of which died
22.09.2025
Seine-Maritime
Justice for fifteen mutilated horses and ponies, five of which died
Domestic animals

Between May and August 2025, fifteen horses and ponies were seriously injured in several municipalities in the Seine-Maritime region. Five of them died. A man was arrested for these unbearable acts of cruelty and taken into custody on Monday, August 4. On Friday, September 26, at 1:30 p.m., One Voice will be present at the Le Havre legal tribunal as a civil party to speak out on behalf of these tortured animals. 

Equines were victims of bloody lacerations and, in some cases, gouged eyes, blows, and fractures… These attacks of unutterable violence were carried out over three months against no fewer than fifteen horses and ponies near Le Havre. One can hardly imagine their terror and pain when they were attacked in the middle of the night… 

It was following a final tragedy in Saint-Martin-du-Manoir, where the body of a horse was found lying in a pool of blood while four of their companions had been injured, that a man was finally arrested. He had already been in trouble with the law in the past and was now charged with seven assaults, including that of a horse belonging to his girlfriend, which was among the animals killed.

For real protection of horses and ponies

This outburst of violence is a cruel reminder of how little respect is shown to equines. When they are not forced to participate in grueling sporting events, bullfights, or hunts, or pulling carriages filled with tourists in sweltering heat, they risk ending up on laboratory benches to undergo all kinds of experiments. A life of exploitation that leads many of them to the slaughterhouse

We refuse to allow these animals to continue to endure such treatment, which is in addition to the abuse that some humans do not hesitate to inflict on them themselves. These hateful acts against animals must be recognized in all their gravity, but also in their connection to violence against humans.

On September 26, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., we will be present at the Le Havre legal tribunal as a civil party to defend the equines killed and injured in the Seine-Maritime region. The perpetrator faces five years in prison and a €75,000 fine. We expect an exemplary verdict. Sign our petition so that horses and ponies can finally enjoy the protective status of pet.

“Au Cœur des Félins” in the Tarn region: illegal breeding and exploitation of wild animals, the scandal continues with impunity

“Au Cœur des Félins” in the Tarn region: illegal breeding and exploitation of wild animals, the scandal continues with impunity

“Au Cœur des Félins” in the Tarn region: illegal breeding and exploitation of wild animals, the scandal continues with impunity
19.09.2025
Tarn, France
“Au Cœur des Félins” in the Tarn region: illegal breeding and exploitation of wild animals, the scandal continues with impunity
Exploitation for shows

Despite the ban in force since 2023 on breeding wild animals in circuses, illegal births continue to occur with impunity. In the Tarn region, the case of the establishment called “Au cœur des félins” illustrates the excesses of a system on its last legs, between animal exploitation, flouted laws and the silence of the authorities. Meanwhile, tigers are being born… to a life in captivity.

Caged tigers, trampled laws, complicit silence: for how much longer?

In the summer of 2024, our association was alerted by the inhabitants of Terre-de-Bancalié in the Tarn region to the arrival of a trainer and his circus, ironically named “Au cœur des félins” (At the heart of big cats). In his garden, surrounded by makeshift fences, the lion Malish and the two tigers Thor and Maya are held inside a cage truck. Behind so-called “educational visits” lies a sordid exploitation, disguised as a reskilling project. Circus acts with sticks in hand and training stools… The place has nothing to do with a refuge… but everything with a business. In short, it is still a case of training, submission, confinement.

Maya, who died at the age of ten, was quickly replaced. And already, there are little ones

In the spring of 2025, we learned of the death of the tigress Maya, euthanised following kidney failure. She was not even ten years old. It is a tragedy — but also a wake-up call regarding the conditions in which these animals are kept. No sooner had Maya disappeared than she was unscrupulously replaced by another tigress, Valentina. A few weeks later, she gave birth: three tiger cubs were born on 30 June 2025. These births were no coincidence. Although illegal, they were not accidental.

A breeding ban in force since 2023: so what?

For almost two years now, the breeding of wild animals in travelling circuses has been banned. The aim is to prevent new individuals from being condemned to a life in captivity, given that their presence will be prohibited by 2028. Shelters and sanctuaries are already full, and it is irresponsible to continue breeding wild animals that no one will be able to care for in the future.

However, nothing can stop certain trainers. This illegal triple birth is not an isolated case: in the summer of 2024, lion cubs were born in the circus of Claudio Zavatta; in the spring of 2025, tiger cubs were born in trailers belonging to the Mullers. These facts, which are known and documented, are multiplying amid the indifference of the authorities.

Where is the State? Where is the political will?

Reproduction is prohibited, but there are no controls. Laws are being passed, but they are allowed to be trampled on. The end of wild animals in circuses is announced for 2028, but young animals are allowed to be born who will have nowhere to go when that deadline arrives. And circus performers are receiving public funds for their “reskilling”. We know that shelters are full, and that there will never be enough space for all these animals. Every day that passes without any action from the authorities is another day where animals are born only to end up in cages.

It is not enough to ban: the law must be enforced, and now is the time to do it. Not in 2028. Not when it will be too late. Today, we are writing to the Prefect asking him to punish the establishment “Au cœur des félins” for this illegal breeding. To join us in calling for an end to animals in circuses, sign our petition!

Hunting season opens: One Voice is ready to fight back against attacks on animals

Hunting season opens: One Voice is ready to fight back against attacks on animals

Hunting season opens: One Voice is ready to fight back against attacks on animals
12.09.2025
France
Hunting season opens: One Voice is ready to fight back against attacks on animals
Wildlife

As millions of animals are about to die from bullets and traps again this year, the hunting world is launching an unprecedented assault on animals, with the unwavering support of the government. All species are being targeted—from endangered birds to badgers—and all means are being used, even the most cruel, with accidents increasing at an alarming rate. We will be there everywhere to denounce this deadly pastime. The first hearings of the season at the Council of State will be held on September 19 at 11 a.m. against the shooting of endangered birds, and on September 22 at 11 a.m. against the return of traditional hunting.

Unwavering state support for hunters

After a trying summer marked by fires and repeated heat waves, animals are preparing to face a new scourge. Starting Sunday, with the general opening of the hunting season, they will have to face the assaults of an influential minority willing to do anything to defend an unjustifiable and outdated pastime, marred last season by a worrying resurgence of accidents.

And trigger-happy enthusiasts will defend their hobby tooth and nail, using all their influence: never before has a government bowed so much to their demands. Within a few days, net hunting—already declared illegal—was reauthorized in the southwest for 100,000 larks, and the slaughter of endangered birds was “regulated” by absurd quotas that allow unlimited killing. Faced with this relentless pressure, it is time to launch a counteroffensive. 

From the field to the courts, it’s time for a general mobilization!

In the coming months, we will continue to take action to save as many lives as possible, from badgers extracted from their burrows to be killed to mountain galliformes, targeted by the hundreds as their populations decline, to pets such as Aslan and Cooper.  Year after year, these battles are bearing fruit: together with our partner associations, we have achieved a significant decline in underground hunting and the suspension of dozens of authorizations throughout France. 

While our requests to ban a dozen traps and the capture of wood pigeons with nets are ongoing, we will step up our actions, both in the field and in the courts. We will be present at the Council of State on September 19 at 11 a.m. to oppose the hunting of endangered birds, and on September 22 at 11 a.m. to oppose the return of Eurasian skylark trapping with nets in the southwest. We need your support in this fight: sign our petitions for radical reform and against traps