News Archive - Page 3 of 155

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

Bear deterrence: Press release

Bear deterrence: Press release
11.06.2026
Pyrénées
Bear deterrence: Press release
Wildlife

Until 29 June, the Ministry for Ecological Transition is holding a public consultation on a draft decree that expands ‘enhanced deterrence’ measures against bears in the Pyrenees and reduces the protection afforded to mothers accompanied by their cubs. This administrative term means bears being subjected to nighttime attacks involving loud bangs and gunfire. One Voice opposes this and calls for a negative opinion to be submitted.

‘Enhanced deterrence’ involves firing double-detonation cartridges from a rifle aimed at the bears, in order to terrorise them and drive them away. These operations take place at night and may be repeated for several nights in a row in the same mountain pasture.

Let us imagine these bears: in the dark, loud explosions going off, a frantic flight through the mountains. For a mother, this means the risk of being separated from her cubs in the panic – and, for the cubs, their survival immediately jeopardised. This violence is inflicted on a protected species.

More operations, fewer safeguards, and no evidence of effectiveness

The draft decree extends these shootings to new parties — livestock farmers, shepherds, members of pastoral groups, summer pasture managers, and officially appointed huntmasters. It will automatically increase the number of operations and trivialise an exemption that is supposed to remain exceptional. It also weakens the protection of mother bears with cubs: a simple criterion of ‘particular vigilance’ would replace the requirement of ‘certain future harmful consequences for the herd’. And all this without any scientific protocol having ever demonstrated the long-term effectiveness of such shootings, and at a time when the bear population remains vulnerable.

One Voice opposes the very principle of bear deterrence and advocates peaceful coexistence, based on the protection of herds rather than on aggression towards bears. The organisation is calling on everyone to submit a negative opinion before 29 June.

Link to the public consultation (open until 29 June): https://www.consultations-publiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/spip.php?page=article&id_article=3370

Bear deterrence: Press release

Bears in the Pyrenees: One Voice refuses to allow their harassment to become the norm

Pomponette the cat, killed by a trap: One Voice files a complaint

Pomponette the cat, killed by a trap: One Voice files a complaint
10.06.2026
France
Pomponette the cat, killed by a trap: One Voice files a complaint
Domestic animals

Her name was Pomponette. A gentle, much-loved, peaceful cat. On Tuesday 19 May, at 7 pm, the children of her family, who had gone out to look for her, found her caught in a trap, her ribcage crushed, lifeless. Pomponette joins the long list of domestic, wild and protected animals that have fallen victim to the devices used by hunters and trappers, which maim, strangle and kill. Faced with this cruel and silent death, we refuse to remain silent. We have lodged a complaint on Pomponette’s behalf. One Voice also referred the matter to the Council of State in late 2025 to have the traps banned.

Pomponette rarely went out. She loved her home. She loved her family. Nothing in her peaceful life suggested she was destined to meet her end on a familiar path. For this homebody cat, the likelihood of being caught in a trap should have been zero. It was not. Because in France, the instruments of torture favoured by hunters are not confined to so-called ‘wild’ areas: they also infest the vicinity of gardens and the paths taken every day by animals out for a stroll.

Pomponette’s final moments

Pomponette left home on 18 May. The next day, she hadn’t returned, and this unusual absence was enough: her family immediately began searching for her. It was the children who discovered her body near a wire fence separating two properties. The shock was such that the police were initially called in response to a report of children in distress. At the scene, some adults had the presence of mind to photograph the scene. It was a wise move. When the police arrived the following day, the body and the trap had vanished. Instead, a stone was blocking the hole beneath the wire fence.
During the investigation, the landowners initially claimed to know nothing, before admitting the facts when confronted with the photographic evidence. According to their statements, the trap was intended for a fox to protect their henhouse. The veterinary report is unequivocal. Pomponette showed ‘signs of crushing to the thorax and pulmonary haemorrhages’. The conclusion is crystal clear: ‘death by crushing of the ribcage, resulting in fatal asphyxiation’. Clinical terms that struggle to mask a brutal reality: Pomponette died in agony, alone, far from her family.

One million victims every year

Despite hunters’ claims to the contrary, traps do not choose their victims. And even if they did: invisible and concealed, these indiscriminate weapons snap shut on a cat’s paw, strangle a harmless fox, or kill a protected species such as wolves.
Ubellule was just 17 months old when a jaw trap – a type of trap that has been banned in Europe since 1995 – crushed her paw. Tigrou, for his part, did not survive. And then there are also Cooper, Snooky, Collier Rouge, Mani… and so many others for whom One Voice has filed a complaint each time.
How many animals die in this way every year? How many suffer for hours on end, locked in a cage, with a paw trapped in a snare or a noose, in the grip of indescribable terror? There are no national statistics to tell us this, but hunters and trappers conceal them wherever they please, and the number of victims is estimated to be around one million each year.

Pomponette is dead, and we have filed a complaint on her behalf. Because if nothing changes, others will die tomorrow. At the end of 2025, One Voice referred the matter to the Council of State. Together, let’s put an end to these practices from a bygone era. Sign our petition to ban all traps.

To ban traps, sign the petition!

Pomponette the cat, killed by a trap: One Voice files a complaint

Caught in a metal snare, Pomponette died of suffocation. One Voice has filed a complaint.

Un million de victimes chaque année

Malgré les discours des chasseurs prétendant le contraire, les pièges ne choisissent pas leurs victimes. Et quand bien même : invisibles et dissimulées, ces armes aveugles se referment sur la patte d’un chat, étranglent un renard inoffensif, tuent une espèce protégée telle que les loups.
Ubellule n’avait que 17 mois quand un piège à mâchoire – des pièges pourtant interdits en Europe depuis 1995 – lui a broyé la patte. Tigrou, lui, n’a pas survécu. Et puis il y a aussi Cooper, Snooky, Collier Rouge, Mani… et tant d’autres pour lesquels One Voice a porté plainte à chaque fois.
Combien d’animaux meurent ainsi chaque année ? Combien agonisent des heures durant, enfermés dans une cage, la patte coincée dans un collet ou un lacet, en proie à une terreur indescriptible ? Aucune statistique nationale ne permet de le savoir, mais les chasseurs-piégeurs les cachent où bon leur semble et les victimes avoisineraient le million chaque année.

Pomponette est morte et en son nom nous avons porté plainte. Car si rien ne change, d’autres mourront demain. Fin 2025, One Voice a saisi le Conseil d’État. Ensemble, faisons cesser ces pratiques d’un autre âge. Signez notre pétition pour l’interdiction de tous les pièges.

Beauval Dolphinarium: Press release

Beauval Dolphinarium: Press release
05.06.2026
Saint Aignan
Beauval Dolphinarium: Press release
Exploitation for shows

By authorising Beauval Zoo (Loir-et-Cher) to establish a ‘centre for the study, scientific research and conservation of dolphins’, the prefecture has just taken a further step towards the opening of a new dolphinarium in France. One Voice, which has long denounced this captivity project disguised as a scientific centre, rejects this new direction: planned breeding, concrete pools, eventual transfers to other parks and an approach which is primarily economic, to the detriment of the dolphins’ welfare.

The project is not new, and One Voice has been campaigning against it for months. But with this authorisation, it has reached a decisive milestone: administrative approval, which the organisation fully intends to challenge. Its lawyers have immediately begun reviewing the case file.

Beauval would take in, on the one hand, the 11 dolphins from Planète Sauvage (Port-Saint-Père), whose dolphinarium is due to close, and, on the other hand, 8 of the 12 dolphins from Marineland, which is already closed to the public. According to the latest announcement by Mathieu Lefèvre, Minister for Ecological Transition, the dolphins from Marineland would first be sent to Spain; eight of them would then return to France, to Beauval, once the facility is ready. A round trip between France and Spain – traumatic for these animals – only to end up… in yet another dolphinarium.

A ‘research and conservation’ label that doesn’t hold water

One does not study wild animals in captivity, except to measure the effects of that captivity on them. As for ‘conservation’, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is not an endangered species. The IUCN classifies it as of ‘least concern’. This classification serves only one purpose: to fulfil the requirement for a research programme in order to be authorised to keep dolphins.

The zoo will join the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP): in other words, it will carry out breeding programmes. However, breeding is in no way necessary for the dolphins’ welfare, and no reputable scientific literature supports this, as Dr Pierre Gallego, a veterinary surgeon and marine biologist specialising in cetaceans, points out in his analysis of the project.

The announced dimensions – around 10,000 m² of water surface area and 30,000 m³ of reconstituted seawater – remain derisory for animals that, in the wild, readily travel 50 to 90 km a day. Self-aware and possessing a vocal signature unique to each individual, dolphins are constantly making choices: choosing their partners, avoiding conflict, diving, hunting. No tank allows for this, and the resulting chronic stress seriously undermines their health.

Finally, during the consultation process, the facility clearly considered transferring dolphins to other dolphinariums, including those in China. This is the exact opposite of sanctuaries.

The water in the pools will need to be treated continuously. Yet the licence was granted without an environmental impact assessment: it is surprising that such a decision was taken without evaluating the impact of such a facility on the environment.

The only solution: genuine marine sanctuaries

The calculation is primarily financial. In captivity, dolphins are a money-spinner: sought-after shows, educational presentations, births, and transfers from one zoo to another. A sanctuary, on the other hand, brings in no revenue – no performances, no breeding, no resale: just a cost, with no commercial return.

By approving Beauval, the State is embracing this profit-driven logic and prioritising the profitability of an industry over the welfare of animals for which it is responsible. Reduced to mere assets to be monetised, the dolphins are paying the price. One Voice refuses to go along with this.

“There is no such thing as a magical sanctuary,” declared the minister. That is untrue. In Taranto, the San Paolo Dolphin Refuge, which One Voice helped to fund, is set to welcome its first dolphins as early as this summer: proof that, with political will, creating this type of sanctuary in Europe is a realistic prospect. Building a sanctuary is, in fact, simpler than erecting a dolphinarium, however attractive it may be to visitors… But it requires the courage to embark on this ecological transition, which the ministry of the same name is methodically working to scupper.

“First, we were sold the idea of a sanctuary. Then came breeding, then exports, even to China: the mask has slipped. Studying and ‘conserving’ dolphins in captivity – when they aren’t even an endangered species – is utterly cynical. We stopped a dolphinarium from being built in Beauval in 2016; together with scientists and our partners across Europe, we will see this through to the end once again.” Muriel Arnal, President of One Voice

One Voice will fight the creation of this dolphinarium by every means possible. If the dolphins were to be shunted off to Spain, abandoned in Valencia or locked up in a new dolphinarium in Beauval, the French people who have campaigned to close dolphinariums would see their wishes flouted. A new dolphinarium in France in 2026 would be outrageous. The organisation is launching a campaign and calls on all those who love dolphins to stand ready: marine sanctuaries are the only acceptable solution – a credible solution, provided there is political courage.

Beauval Dolphinarium: Press release

One Voice condemns the prefecture’s approval of the Beauval dolphinarium