News Archive - Page 3 of 155

‘Goose neck’ game: despite the ban, Arfeuilles announces the return of an illegal practice

‘Goose neck’ game: despite the ban, Arfeuilles announces the return of an illegal practice
02.07.2026
Arfeuilles
‘Goose neck’ game: despite the ban, Arfeuilles announces the return of an illegal practice
Exploitation for shows

Last year, our campaign led to the cancellation of the ‘goose neck game’ in Arfeuilles in the Allier. The authorities had then clearly reiterated the legal framework: this practice has no place in local and popular festivals. A year later, however, the local council has announced its return to the programme for the patron saint’s day celebrations on 15 August 2026. By choosing to reintroduce this grim spectacle, the Arfeuilles council is flouting both the law and the warnings, showing the intention to revive a practice that we will never cease to oppose.

On 12 April, the Arfeuilles festival committee announced on its Facebook page the return of the ‘goose neck’ game as part of the summer festivities. Behind this name lies a practice involving the hanging of animal carcasses – geese, chickens, rabbits or others – killed specifically for the occasion, so that participants can attempt to tear off their heads or decapitate them with their bare hands. For One Voice, allowing such a spectacle to return is out of the question.

Extract from the Arfeuilles Festival Committee’s summer programme

An unambiguous ban

As early as 2025, our organisation had opposed the holding of this event. Thanks to our solicitor’s intervention with the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP), the event was ultimately cancelled.

The government authorities had at this time reiterated several key principles: the use of animal carcasses for entertainment purposes is prohibited, and the slaughter of an animal outside a slaughterhouse constitutes a criminal offence. Finally, animal carcasses, considered to be animal by-products, may not be used for this type of event. These legal reminders gave us hope that this practice was now a thing of the past.

The town hall remains silent

This year, as early as mid-April, we wrote to the mayor of Arfeuilles to seek clarification.

Our request was quite straightforward: Is this ‘event’ now a symbolic re-enactment, using items such as soft toys or piñatas, or does it once again involve the use of animal carcasses, in breach of the regulations? We also urged the council to prioritise festive alternatives that respect both animals and the law. To date, we have received no reply.

A practice we have been campaigning against for several years

Our campaign against the ‘goose neck game’ is nothing new. Back in September 2023, our investigation had already revealed what was taking place in Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom: around twenty animals decapitated during a ritual presented as a rite of passage into adulthood. These images caused a great deal of public outrage and helped to shed light on a largely unknown ‘tradition’. Since then, we have continued our work to ensure that these acts cease once and for all.

We must act before it is too late

We are once again calling on the municipality of Arfeuilles to abandon this medieval-style event if it involves the use of animal carcasses, and to opt for a symbolic version that respects both the animals and the regulations, as well as the sensibilities of the public.

You can also take action, for example by contacting Arfeuilles Town Hall to ask them, politely and respectfully, to abandon this practice once and for all. And if you haven’t already done so, please don’t hesitate to sign our petition to put an end to the ‘goose neck game’ throughout France.

To end the ‘goose neck’ game

Extrait du programme estival du Comité des Fêtes d’Arfeuilles

Une interdiction pourtant sans ambiguïté

En 2025 déjà, notre association s’était opposée à l’organisation de cette animation. Grâce à l’intervention de notre avocate auprès de la Direction départementale de la protection des populations (DDPP), la manifestation avait finalement été annulée.

Les services de l’État avaient alors rappelé plusieurs principes essentiels : l’utilisation de cadavres d’animaux dans le cadre d’un divertissement est interdite et l’abattage d’un animal en dehors d’un abattoir constitue un délit pénal. Enfin, les dépouilles animales, considérées comme des sous-produits animaux, ne peuvent être utilisées pour ce type d’événement. Ces rappels légaux laissaient espérer que cette pratique appartenait désormais au passé.

La mairie reste silencieuse

Cette année, dès la mi-avril, nous avons écrit au maire d’Arfeuilles afin d’obtenir des précisions.

Notre demande était pourtant simple : cette « animation » est-elle désormais une reconstitution symbolique, utilisant des objets tels que des peluches ou des piñatas, ou prévoit-elle une nouvelle fois l’emploi de dépouilles animales, en contradiction avec la réglementation ? Nous avons également invité la commune à privilégier des alternatives festives respectueuses des animaux comme de la loi. À ce jour, aucune réponse ne nous est parvenue.

Une pratique que nous combattons depuis plusieurs années

Notre mobilisation contre le « jeu du cou de l’oie » ne date pas d’hier. En septembre 2023, notre enquête révélait déjà ce qui se déroulait à Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom : une vingtaine d’animaux décapités lors d’un rituel présenté comme un passage à l’âge adulte. Ces images avaient suscité une vive émotion et permis de mettre en lumière une « tradition » largement méconnue. Depuis, nous poursuivons notre travail pour que ces actes cessent définitivement.

Agissons avant qu’il ne soit trop tard

Nous demandons une nouvelle fois à la commune d’Arfeuilles de renoncer à cette animation moyenâgeuse si elle implique l’utilisation de cadavres d’animaux et d’opter pour une version symbolique, respectueuse des animaux comme de la réglementation et de la sensibilité du public.

Vous pouvez également agir, par exemple en contactant la mairie d’Arfeuilles pour lui demander, avec courtoisie et respect, d’abandonner définitivement cette pratique. Et si ce n’est pas encore fait, n’hésitez pas à signer notre pétition pour mettre fin au « jeu du cou de l’oie » partout en France.

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The Court of Orléans on badgers: Press release

The Court of Orléans on badgers: Press release
26.06.2026
Orléans
The Court of Orléans on badgers: Press release
Wildlife

One Voice, avec l’ASPAS, AVES et Nature 18, demande au tribunal administratif d’Orléans de suspendre en urgence l’arrêté qui autorise le prolongement de la vénerie sous terre des blaireaux dans le Cher, du 1ᵉʳ juin au 14 septembre 2026. Audience lundi 29 juin à 15 heures. Une nouvelle fois, des familles entières de blaireaux — petits compris — sont promises aux pioches et aux pinces des déterreurs.

Représentées par le cabinet Géo-avocats, les quatre associations dénoncent un arrêté qui ferme les yeux sur la souffrance, pour le seul agrément et loisir d’une poignée de pratiquants.

La vénerie sous terre consiste à lâcher des chiens dans les galeries pour acculer les blaireaux au fond de leur terrier, avant de les déterrer à la pioche et à la barre à mine, de les saisir avec de longues pinces métalliques et de les achever. Une traque qui peut durer des heures. Parmi les victimes : des blaireautins encore dépendants des adultes. C’est cette violence que One Voice documente depuis des années, enquêtes en infiltration à l’appui.

Tuer les petits est illégal : les juges le répètent

L’article L.424-10 du code de l’environnement interdit de détruire les petits des mammifères chassables. Et le « petit », scientifiquement, c’est un animal qui n’a pas atteint sa maturité sexuelle. Chez les blaireaux, l’émancipation à l’égard des adultes n’intervient qu’à l’automne. La période complémentaire revient donc à massacrer des jeunes que la loi protège — directement, et indirectement en abattant les adultes dont ils dépendent encore.

Les juridictions administratives retiennent ce critère de l’émancipation, et la cour administrative d’appel de Bordeaux l’a confirmé sans ambiguïté le 24 février 2026 : les jeunes blaireaux encore dépendants sont des « petits » protégés. Rien, ni de prétendus dégâts ni une prétendue surpopulation, ne justifie d’y déroger.

Dans le Cher, un arrêté en trompe-l’œil

Pour justifier le déterrage, la préfecture invoque « l’augmentation de plaintes de dégâts de blaireaux reçues ». Une réalité qu’elle n’a, de son propre aveu, jamais vérifiée.

Et si l’arrêté affiche quelques garde-fous censés répondre aux annulations déjà prononcées par le tribunal administratif d’Orléans, ce ne sont que des leurres :

Un quota de 300 blaireaux — ce qui est énorme pour une espèce dont on ne connait pas les effectifs et au rythme de reproduction lent.
Une chasse limitée aux week-ends, lundis et jours fériés — ce qui est déjà le cas depuis 2021 au moins, ce loisir se pratiquant de toute façon hors des jours ouvrés.
Un périmètre étendu jusqu’à 250 mètres des terres agricoles, jachères, prairies, vignes et vergers : autrement dit, dans un département agricole à 60 % et bordé de bois, exactement là où vivent les blaireaux, en lisière de forêt et dans le bocage.

Sous couvert d’encadrement, l’arrêté livre donc aux déterreurs l’essentiel des blaireautières.

Les préfectures s’entêtent, la justice tranche

Cette audience s’ajoute à une longue série de revers infligés aux arrêtés de déterrage : suspension dans la Marne par le tribunal administratif de Châlons-en-Champagne le 7 mai 2026, annulation par celui de Limoges des arrêtés pris en 2024 dans la Creuse, la Corrèze et la Haute-Vienne. Partout, le même constat : les préfectures ne peuvent continuer à autoriser ce massacre. One Voice et ses partenaires entendent l’obtenir aussi dans le Cher.

Illegal trade in animals on Leboncoin: the courts turn a blind eye

Illegal trade in animals on Leboncoin: the courts turn a blind eye
25.06.2026
Illegal trade in animals on Leboncoin: the courts turn a blind eye
Domestic animals

Despite the law of 2021, thousands of unregistered cats and dogs have continued to be advertised on the website Leboncoin. In 2023 alone, the Toulouse-based association ‘L’école du chat libre’ recorded 4,500 illegal adverts concerning nearly 11,000 animals in just a few months. Together, we then took the matter to court. After more than two years of proceedings, the court dismissed the case on the grounds of ‘good faith’. This is a worrying decision that highlights the issue of online trade in animals, trafficking and abandonment.

In France, all dogs and cats must be identified by a microchip or a tattoo. When they are sold online, online advertising platforms such as Leboncoin must ensure that identification is present and are obliged to verify this information. This principle is not a recommendation. It is a legal obligation laid down by the law of November 2021. Its aim is clear: to put an end to the lucrative trade carried out at the expense of our pets and the collateral damage that goes with it: trafficking and abandonment.

What Leboncoin is doing

As early as 2021, Leboncoin should have taken action and put a verification system in place. Instead, the platform turned a blind eye. As a result, for years, thousands of animals were sold without identification, sometimes before they had reached the legal age. In 2023, together with our partner, L’école du chat libre in Toulouse, we lodged a complaint. This complaint was well-founded, backed up by a meticulous survey of 4,500 illegal adverts concerning nearly 11,000 animals between April and November 2023. We were simply asking for the law to be enforced.

What the courts are saying

We recently received a ruling dismissing the case. Yet the court acknowledged that: yes, Leboncoin had failed to put a monitoring system in place after 2021; yes, adverts were published for years after the legislation came into force. But the platform is considered to have acted ‘in good faith’ because its monitoring system was not yet operational.

A company can thus flout the law for two years, then eventually comply with it because it is being prosecuted, without facing any further consequences. It could at the very least have suspended the publication of adverts while waiting for the monitoring system to be up and running, but it did not do so. Case closed. In the meantime, thousands of animals are paying the price for this inaction.

The internet: a supermarket for living beings

Every day, adverts for dogs and cats spring up on these platforms. Heart-warming photos, enticing promises, immediate availability: everything encourages impulse buying. But behind these adverts lie clandestine breeding operations – veritable puppy and kitten factories churning out animals in conditions of utter distress to meet a demand fuelled by the immediacy of a click. Not to mention the many private individuals who also feed into this system, failing to neuter their pets and giving away or selling unwanted litters.

People want a cute, cheap puppy – right now. The buyer sometimes receives a sick, traumatised, unidentified animal, making any traceability impossible.

From advert to abandonment

These online sales have direct consequences. Animals acquired on a whim are more likely to be abandoned: because care is expensive, because holidays are coming up, or because a move disrupts daily life. In France, tens of thousands of animals are abandoned in this way every year; the luckiest end up in shelters, while the others end up in animal pounds. For the latter, time is of the essence. Once the statutory eight-day period has passed, if they are not claimed, they are put down.

The law of 2021 aimed to put an end to this vicious circle. Leboncoin continued to flout it for years. And today, the courts rule: ‘in good faith’.

This dismissal of the case does not erase the facts. It does not dampen our resolve. More than ever, we remain vigilant against illegal adverts, we will continue to document them, to call for an outright ban on online donations and sales, and to demand a national neutering programme. In this fight, everyone can take action. By writing to Leboncoin*, and reporting suspicious adverts, you are helping to bring about change. Join the fight with us!

* A template letter is available by clicking on this link.

Illegal trade in animals on Leboncoin: the courts turn a blind eye

Thousands of animals sold illegally on Leboncoin: ‘in good faith’, according to the courts.

Bird poaching: Press release

Bird poaching: Press release
23.06.2026
Haut-Var
Bird poaching: Press release
Wildlife

The Criminal Court of Draguignan has handed down its verdict in the bird poaching case in which One Voice had joined the proceedings as a civil party. The defendant was found guilty of the illegal capture, destruction and possession of protected species. He was sentenced to pay fines, had his hunting licence revoked and was banned from possessing a firearm for three years.

Since 2022, every autumn, dozens of birds were being trapped on a property in Vérignon, in the Haut-Var. Using glue-coated sticks — despite them being banned — and a device that played bird calls to attract thrushes, the man would capture or kill them. The live birds were kept in an aviary to be sold as ‘decoys’; the others were killed, frozen, processed or sold.

The search carried out in November 2025 revealed the scale of the trafficking: 600 frozen thrushes, 50 live thrushes in cages, 19 great tits — a protected species — killed and frozen, 160 tins of thrush pâté, 70 glue sticks and 15 iron traps, as well as 18 firearms, including two unregistered ones, and several dozen kilograms of cartridges. The defendant admitted the facts and acknowledged that he was aware of their illegality.

A sentence below the prosecution’s recommendations

On 3 March, the man had been ordered in the civil proceedings to pay €11,500, notably for environmental damage. In the criminal proceedings, the sentencing had been adjourned to take into account whether or not the site and its illegal hunting facilities had been restored to their original condition.

On 18 June, the Court sentenced the man to 90 daily fines of €10 (totalling €900), two fines of €400, the revocation of his hunting licence for three years, and a ban on possessing or carrying a weapon for the same period. The defendant ad been facing a fine of up to €150,000 and three years’ imprisonment.

The revocation of the hunting licence: a tangible protection for wildlife

One Voice considers the revocation of the hunting licence and the three-year ban on firearms to be the most significant aspects of the ruling. While the organisation would have preferred harsher penalties, it welcomes the fact that the case has been brought to a conclusion: for at least three years, this man will no longer be able to hunt. That means many birds saved.

For One Voice, this case goes beyond the actions of a single individual. Pressure to reinstate so-called ‘traditional’ hunting methods – foremost among these being the banned practice of glue trapping – fosters a sense of impunity that encourages such practices.

The organisation is all the more pleased with this conviction which serves as a reminder that poaching is not a tradition, but a criminal offence.

Bird poaching: Press release

Bird poaching in the Haut-Var: conviction and revocation of a hunting licence for three years

For the stray cats of Plessé, One Voice is opening the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique on 22 June

For the stray cats of Plessé, One Voice is opening the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique on 22 June
19.06.2026
Plessé
For the stray cats of Plessé, One Voice is opening the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique on 22 June
Domestic animals

On 22 June, One Voice and the municipality of Plessé will open the first Chatipi in the Loire-Atlantique region. Located within the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, this space dedicated to free-roaming cats is the result of a partnership between the local council, the association L’Arche de Ninie, the care home and One Voice. Beyond animal welfare, the project also fosters links between the local population, care home residents and volunteers.

The Chatipi space will be inaugurated on Monday 22 June at 5 pm at the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, located at 6, rue du Dr Alexis Carrel in Plessé, in the presence of the deputy mayor, Ms Magali Ouary, and former councillor Mr Alain Annaix; Ms Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice, and Mr Florian Valy; as well as Ms Virginie Le Magueresse and Mr Gérald Cruaud, President and Secretary respectively of L’Arche de Ninie, accompanied by volunteers.

A new step forward in the protection of stray cats

Until now, the municipality of Plessé had mainly been involved through neutering campaigns carried out with the support of local organisations and residents. Wishing to adopt a more preventive, ethical and sustainable approach, the council sought to strengthen its commitment to the welfare of cats. The Chatipi project now provides a safe haven for stray cats, whilst facilitating their health monitoring and the continuation of neutering and identification efforts.

A local partnership supporting a sustainable project

The project is based on a four-party agreement and collaboration. Each partner has made a contribution:

One Voice, which set up the scheme, funded fifteen sterilisation procedures, identifications and health checks, as well as the purchase of the chalet, cat flaps, the information board and thirty kilograms of dry cat food.
The local council installed the load-bearing floor, oversaw the assembly of the chalet and will cover the cost of the cats’ food as well as any future veterinary expenses.
L’Arche de Ninie is responsible for trapping the cats, monitoring their health, fitting out the shelter and placing sociable cats or kittens with foster families with a view to adoption. Feeding the cats and cleaning the site are carried out jointly by the association and the local council.
Finally, the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld care home has agreed to host the Chatipi on its premises and has made part of its grounds available for this purpose.

A project that fosters intergenerational bonds

The establishment of the Chatipi space within the care home gives the project a special dimension. In keeping with the spirit of the scheme devised by One Voice, it encourages discussions about animal welfare and the involvement of both care home residents and the surrounding population.

The care home wishes to organise activities that involve residents in the work carried out as part of the Chatipi project. Among the initiatives being considered is the making of small blankets for the cats. Several locals, as well as a resident of the care home, have also already taken part in operations to catch the stray cats taken in at the site.

This initiative is in line with the many outreach activities organised by the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, which regularly facilitates encounters between its residents, the local population and pupils from the local primary school.

Practical information

The opening of the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique will take place on Monday 22 June at 5 pm at the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, located at 6, rue du Dr Alexis Carrel, 44630 Plessé.

With this first Chatipi in the Loire-Atlantique region, Plessé is demonstrating that responsible management of stray cats can also become a genuine regional initiative.

For the stray cats of Plessé, One Voice is launching the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique on 22 June

In Plessé, the first Chatipi in the Loire-Atlantique region offers a refuge for cats without homes and fosters intergenerational bonds.

Four lionesses rescued: Press release

Four lionesses rescued: Press release
18.06.2026
Bourges
Four lionesses rescued: Press release
Exploitation for shows

On 17 June, the Criminal Court of Bourges ordered the permanent confiscation of the four lionesses — and the tigress Isis, who has since died — which were seized in 2023 from the Ricardo Zavatta Circus. Two of the three brothers implicated were convicted and banned from working with wild animals for five years. For One Voice and Free Life, who initiated the proceedings, the main objective has been achieved: these big cats have been rescued from the circus.

In early 2023, in the Allier region, a joint investigation by One Voice and Free Life revealed the conditions in which the big cats were being kept at the Ricardo Zavatta Circus: four lionesses and a white tigress crammed into a trailer from which they were never let out. No access to the outdoors, no pool, nothing to alleviate the constant stress of confinement — to the extent that they were trying to sharpen their claws on the bars. Together with its partner Free Life, the organisation filed a complaint. In June 2023, while the circus had set up illegally in Santranges, in the Cher region, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) inspected the premises and had the five big cats seized; they were immediately taken to a sanctuary.

The court’s ruling

Having sat on 27 May, the Criminal Court of Bourges delivered its verdict on 17 June. The ruling prioritises the animals’ safety: the four lionesses Mascotte, Terga, Elsa and Princesse, as well as the tigress Isis (who has since died), were permanently confiscated. They will not be returning to the circus.

Furthermore, two of the three brothers were banned for five years from any professional activity involving the keeping and use of live non-domestic animals, and each was fined €3,600 (180 daily fines of €20). The third brother was acquitted. The court awarded financial compensation to the association Tonga Terre d’Accueil, which took in the big cats and has been responsible for their care and custody since the start of the proceedings. It also awarded compensation to One Voice and Free Life for their non-pecuniary damage and legal costs. The defendants have until 1 July to lodge an appeal.

“We would like to thank the OFB and all the authorities who intervened to enforce the law. This is exceptional in France, where, for example, the three circuses run by the Muller family continue to keep lions, tigers and other protected wild animals in conditions that are both illegal and abusive, without ever being held to account. The rescue of these big cats and the conviction of their tormentors remain an exception, when it should be the norm,” said Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice.

The fight continues for all animals still in captivity

For these four lionesses, the ordeal is over. For many others, it still goes on. In the case of these lionesses, the authorities intervened due to the lack of a ‘recreational enclosure’. For other circuses, such as those run by the Muller family, which have committed repeated offences, nothing is being done. As a heatwave sweeps across the country, wild animals remain locked up in metal trailers and iron cages with no means of cooling down.

The Act of 30 November 2021 provides for a ban on the keeping of wild animals in travelling circuses with effect from 1 December 2028. But a law alone will not be enough to open the cages. Beyond this date, One Voice will continue its fight to ensure that every single one of these animals really is released from the circus and taken to a refuge or sanctuary where they can finally live according to their needs. Investigations, alerts to the authorities, legal action: the organisation is working tirelessly towards this goal.

Four lionesses rescued: Press release

Ricardo Zavatta Circus: Mascotte, Terga, Elsa and Princesse will never be transported in a trailer again

Dolphin Transfers: Press Release

Dolphin Transfers: Press Release
17.06.2026
Antibes
Dolphin Transfers: Press Release
Exploitation for shows

At the call of One Voice, campaigners and members of the public will gather on Wednesday 1 July 2026 at the entrance to Marineland in Antibes to demand a sanctuary for the orcas Wikie and Keijo and the park’s last twelve dolphins. The dolphins’ fate is now sealed: their transfer to Spain has been confirmed and will take place very soon. As for the orcas, France has approved their transfer to Spain; Spain, however, has still not given its consent. This rally serves as a powerful reminder: the last line of defence against this moral disaster lies with Spain — and it must hold firm.

On 1 July, One Voice invites the public to gather outside Marineland to say ‘no’ to the transfer of orcas and dolphins to Spanish parks and ‘yes’ to genuine marine sanctuaries.

Loro Parque: the hell that awaits the orcas

Behind the word ‘transfer’ lies a death sentence. At Loro Parque in the Canary Islands, Wikie and her son Keijo would be confined to pools half the size of those in Antibes and forced to live alongside four other orcas driven to aggression by the abuse of captivity. Such immense stress, extensively documented by scientists, leads to a life ending in suffering: shows, breeding, and the severing of family bonds. For animals which, in the wild, never leave their families, this constitutes absolute cruelty.

A transfer that flouts French law

In 2021, France banned the keeping and breeding of cetaceans in captivity. By authorising their transfer to Spain, the Ministry for Ecological Transition is failing to comply with this law: it is effectively relocating the circumvention of the law. One Voice condemns a decision dictated primarily by the financial interests of Parques Reunidos, the owner of Marineland, which views these animals merely as assets to be liquidated.

The ‘magical sanctuary’ already exists

‘There is no such thing as a magical sanctuary’, the minister has dared to claim. This is false. In Taranto, Italy, the San Paolo Dolphin Refuge — which One Voice has helped to fund — is set to welcome its first dolphins as early as this summer. In Nova Scotia, Canada, a semi-wild sanctuary for orcas is currently being created. This proves that, with a little political courage, an alternative exists and is a realistic option.

What about the twelve dolphins?

The dolphins’ fate, however, is sealed. They are due to leave in early summer. Eight of them will endure a traumatic round trip via Spain (Málaga) before arriving at Beauval, in a new dolphinarium disguised as a ‘research and conservation centre’ — an absurd project that One Voice will fight all the way to court. Breeding, pools made of glass and concrete, an approach which is primarily economic: here again, the very opposite of a sanctuary. The other four dolphins – Sharky, Malou, Nala (who will be separated from her daughter Lua) and Ollie – will be sent to the dolphinarium in Valencia to stay there permanently.

For the orcas, the final line of defence is in Spain: it must hold

It’s not over yet. Spain has not given its consent, and its own scientists – the Spanish CITES authority – have spoken out against the arrival of the animals from Marineland at Loro Parque. This is now where the battle lies: One Voice, alongside Spanish organisations, is urging the Spanish government to stand firm where France has given in, and to refuse to become complicit in this farce. Spain must listen to its scientists: this is now the last line of defence for Wikie and Keijo.

One Voice will not give up

The organisation has already thwarted the sale of the orcas from Antibes to China in 2019, then to Japan in 2024, and halted a dolphinarium project in Beauval in 2016. Both on the ground and in the courts, it will continue the fight to the very end. Join us on 1 July outside the former park, for Wikie, Keijo and the twelve dolphins.

“France has chosen to get rid of Wikie and Keijo by sending them to Loro Parque, where captivity is already taking its toll on orcas. But nothing is decided yet: Spain has not signed. On 1 July, we’ll be outside Marineland to reiterate the obvious — a sanctuary, and nothing else. And we’re counting on the Spanish government’s courage to stand firm where France has given in, resorting to a web of lies. After ten years of campaigning, we thought we’d seen it all when it came to the cynicism of the Ministry of Ecology, but it has still managed to leave us speechless.” Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Date: Wednesday 1 July 2026

Venue: Rond-Point de la Brague, 06600 Antibes

Time: 1 pm to 2 pm

Event: facebook.com/events/983790217788429

Petitions: ‘A sanctuary and nothing else!’ and ‘No to the Beauval project!’

Dolphin transfers: Press release

Dolphin transfer confirmed for early summer: One Voice calls for a rally on 1 July outside Marineland

Animals in circuses: an overview of European legislation

Animals in circuses: an overview of European legislation
16.06.2026
Europe
Animals in circuses: an overview of European legislation
Exploitation for shows

The map we are publishing shows it quite clearly: across Europe, progress for circus animals – both ‘wild’ and ‘domestic’ – is on the rise. France, however, is lagging behind. It still condones the captivity and exhibition of animals. Worse still, with substantial public funding, the State supports the continued operation of circuses featuring animals, going so far as to fund their settlement in permanent locations, all the while turning a blind eye to the abuse and illegal breeding that we continually report.

When Europe bans…

Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, … In these countries and many others, the keeping of wild animals in circuses is already a thing of the past: total or near-total bans, an end to exemptions, and recognition that travelling captivity is incompatible with respect for the animals’ vital needs. Some go the whole way and also include so-called domestic animals.

Our analysis of European legislation, illustrated by the map we are publishing, bears this out: today, Europe is moving forward, driven by advances in scientific knowledge and by a growing societal awareness of these outdated spectacles.

Thus:

Twenty countries have legislation that is more ambitious than France’s, including three with a total ban on all types of circuses and on all animals, both wild and domestic,
Six countries have legislation similar to France’s, but their laws are already being enforced,
Two have legislation that is slightly less ambitious but is already being enforced, and
Just one has no legislation at all.

In recent weeks, Julie, the last elephant, and Sona, the last tiger in circuses in Portugal, have been taken to sanctuaries and refuges, following a law passed in 2017 and rigorously enforced.

… France circumvents, condones and even subsidises

While a great many neighbouring countries are working to end the use of animals in circuses, the French government, for its part, has chosen the path of hypocrisy. Having passed in 2021 a law that is only nominally protective, it now plans to compensate circuses, the perpetrators of this violence and these illegal practices, with millions of euros of public money, while we are sounding the alarm about the lack of sanctuaries and refuges to rehome these deeply suffering animals. In its theoretical implementation, this law actually supports the interests and practices of the circus industry. In reality, the animals continue to be exhibited, trained, bred and confined, despite their widely documented and recognised suffering, and with complete impunity.

Neither wild nor domestic!

While the consequences of captivity, training and life on the road are terrible for wild animals, so-called ‘domestic’ animals also suffer and are the great forgotten of the 2021 Act. They, too, suffer trauma linked to such conditions of confinement: they are under constant stress, malnourished, isolated, crammed into lorries or tethered too tightly when they are not being forced to perform in shows. They, too, suffer from severe stereotypies. This arbitrary classification is, moreover, contested by many scientists, particularly regarding camels and dromedaries, which remain very similar to their wild ancestors and have the same social and physiological needs.

Our analysis of the European legislative landscape regarding circuses reveals one clear fact: protecting all captive animals is neither an exception nor a utopian ideal; it is a societal choice already embraced by many countries.

One Voice calls for the immediate and effective preparation for the ban on wild animals in circuses scheduled for 2028, without delay or circumvention. The development and registration of adequate shelter solutions for all these living beings are urgent and must become a priority, not to mention penalties commensurate with the reported cases of abuse. And subsequently, the law must be amended to include domestic animals, following the example of countries that are pioneers in this field.

Animals in circuses: an overview of European legislation

One Voice has analysed the laws currently in force across Europe: while our neighbours are freeing animals, France continues to exploit them

… la France contourne, cautionne et même subventionne

Quand de très nombreux pays voisins œuvrent à la fin des animaux dans les cirques, l’État français, lui, fait le choix de l’hypocrisie. Votant une loi faussement protectrice en 2021, il prévoit à présent d’indemniser les cirques, auteurs de ces violences et de pratiques illégales, avec des millions d’euros d’argent public, tandis que nous sonnons l’alerte à propos du manque de sanctuaires et de refuges pour placer ces animaux en proie à une grande souffrance. Dans sa mise en œuvre théorique, cette loi soutient en réalité les intérêts et pratiques des circassiens. Dans les faits, les animaux, eux, continuent d’être exhibés, dressés, reproduits et enfermés, malgré leurs souffrances largement documentées et reconnues, et ce en toute impunité.

Ni sauvages ni domestiques !

Si les conséquences de la captivité, du dressage et de l’itinérance sont terribles pour les animaux sauvages, les animaux dits « domestiques » subissent aussi et sont les grands oubliés de la loi de 2021. Ils présentent également des traumatismes liés à de telles conditions de détention: le stress y est permanent, ils sont malnourris, isolés, enfermés dans des camions ou attachés trop court quand ils ne sont pas contraints de se produire en spectacles. Eux aussi souffrent de graves stéréotypies. Cette classification arbitraire est contestée d’ailleurs par de nombreux scientifiques pour ce qui est des chameaux et dromadaires notamment, qui restent très semblables à leurs ancêtres sauvages et ont les mêmes besoins sociaux et physiologiques.

Notre analyse de la situation européenne des législations relatives aux cirques révèle une évidence : protéger tous les animaux captifs n’est ni une exception ni une utopie ; c’est un choix de société déjà assumé par de nombreux pays.

One Voice appelle à la préparation effective immédiate de l’interdiction des animaux sauvages dans les cirques prévue pour 2028, sans report ni contournement. Le développement de solutions d’accueil adaptées à tous ces êtres vivants et leur recensement sont urgents et doivent devenir prioritaires. Sans oublier des sanctions à la hauteur des maltraitances signalées. Et de faire ensuite évoluer la loi pour y inclure aussi les animaux domestiques aussi, à l’exemple des pays pionniers en la matière.

A Chatipi in Plessé: Press Release

A Chatipi in Plessé: Press Release
16.06.2026
Plessé
Chatipi à Plessé : Communiqué de Presse
Animaux familiers

The Chatipi space will be inaugurated on Monday 22 June at 5 pm at the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, located at 6, rue du Dr Alexis Carrel in Plessé, in the presence of the deputy mayor, Ms Magali Ouary, and former councillor Mr Alain Annaix, who has been involved in the project; Ms Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice, and Mr Florian Valy; as well as Ms Virginie Le Magueresse and Mr Gérald Cruaud, President and Secretary respectively of L’Arche de Ninie, accompanied by volunteers.

A new step towards protecting stray cats

In France, more than 11 million cats live as strays, exposed to disease, hunger and difficult living conditions. Their presence can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and conflicts with local residents.

It is against this backdrop that One Voice is developing the Chatipi programme: an educational and operational initiative designed to stabilise populations of stray cats through neutering, to provide them with shelter, while improving their care (feeding, health monitoring) and their coexistence with humans. More than sixty Chatipis have already been set up across the country.

A local partnership supporting a sustainable project

The project is based on a four-party agreement and collaboration. Each partner has made a contribution:

One Voice, which set up the scheme, funded fifteen sterilisation procedures, identifications and health checks, as well as the purchase of the chalet, cat flaps, the information board and thirty kilograms of dry cat food.
The local council installed the load-bearing floor, oversaw the assembly of the chalet and will cover the cost of the cats’ food as well as any future veterinary expenses.
L’Arche de Ninie is responsible for trapping the cats, monitoring their health, fitting out the cat shelter and placing sociable cats or kittens with foster families with a view to adoption. Feeding the cats and cleaning the site are carried out jointly by the association and the local council.
Finally, the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld care home has agreed to host the Chatipi on its premises and has made part of its grounds available for this purpose.

A project that fosters intergenerational bonds

The establishment of the Chatipi space within the care home gives the project a special dimension. True to the spirit of the scheme devised by One Voice, it encourages discussion about animal welfare and the involvement of both the care home residents and the surrounding population.

This initiative is part of a series of outreach activities organised by the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, which regularly facilitates encounters between its residents, the local population and pupils from the local primary school.

Practical information

The opening ceremony for the first Chatipi in Loire-Atlantique will take place on Monday 22 June at 5 pm at the Résidence de la Rochefoucauld, located at 6, rue du Dr Alexis Carrel, 44630 Plessé.

With this first Chatipi in the Loire-Atlantique region, Plessé is demonstrating that responsible management of stray cats can also become a genuine regional initiative.

A Chatipi in Plessé: Press Release

For the stray cats of Plessé, One Voice is inaugurating the first Chatipi in the Loire-Atlantique region on 22 June

The Administrative Court on badgers: Press release

The Administrative Court on badgers: Press release
16.06.2026
Châlons en Champagne
The Administrative Court on badgers: Press release
Wildlife

On 19 June, One Voice, alongside ASPAS and AVES, will be present at the Administrative Court in Châlons-en-Champagne to demand an immediate halt to the digging-out of badgers — ‘underground hunting’ — in the Ardennes and Haute-Marne for the summer of 2026. This form of hunting relentlessly targets entire families even down in their burrows, despite the courts having already ruled it illegal during this period.

On 19 June 2026, the Administrative Court of Châlons-en-Champagne will examine two petitions for suspension filed by One Voice, ASPAS and AVES. The three organisations are calling for an immediate halt to the digging-out of badgers, which has been authorised since spring in the Ardennes and Haute-Marne.

This method involves sending dogs into burrows to corner the badgers. Trapped underground, sometimes for hours, the terrified animals are then dug out with spades, pulled from their burrows using large tongs and subsequently killed. This form of hunting leaves the inhabitants of the badger burrow with no chance of survival.

For at this time of year, the burrows are home to young badgers still unable to survive on their own. They may be killed on the spot during these operations, or condemned to die of hunger, thirst or exhaustion, slowly, left to suffer after their mothers have been killed.

A hunt already ruled unlawful

Article L. 424-10 of the French Environmental Code prohibits the killing of mammalian young. The Administrative Court of Châlons-en-Champagne has already made this clear in no uncertain terms: in three judgements dated 11 April 2024, it annulled additional periods of underground badger hunting, ruling that young badgers are not self-sufficient during the authorised period and must therefore still be regarded as ‘young’ within the meaning of the law.

And yet, the prefectures persist.

In Haute-Marne, the prefectural order of 12 May 2026 authorises this hunt from 15 May to 19 September 2026 in nearly half of the municipalities, and from 15 August to 19 September in the rest of the region. The explanatory note itself acknowledges the killing of juveniles.

In the Ardennes, the period runs from 1 June to 25 July 2026, with a quota of 110 badgers. On paper, the killing of young badgers weighing less than 8 kg and of lactating females is prohibited. In practice, however, the method remains indiscriminate: once released, the dogs, driven by the hunters, bite everything they find, adults and young alike.

One Voice demands the immediate suspension of these additional hunting periods. When it comes to badgers, the organisation will not back down.

The Administrative Court on badgers: Press release

Badger hunting: One Voice before the Administrative Court of Châlons-en-Champagne on 19 June