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Public consultation: say no to scaring brown bears in the Pyrenees!

Public consultation: say no to scaring brown bears in the Pyrenees!

Public consultation: say no to scaring brown bears in the Pyrenees!
05.04.2023
Public consultation: say no to scaring brown bears in the Pyrenees!
Wildlife

Following the partial cancellation of one of its previous laws, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition is about to take on a new decree perpetuating the scaring of brown bears in the Pyrenees. Along with One Voice, take advantage of the public consultation open until 21 April to denounce this unjust decision!

In 2022, we won numerous victories for brown bears in the Pyrenees. In August, we were successful in urgently suspending no less than nine prefectural decrees that intended to chase them with flash-balls and sting-ball grenades. An outburst of unheard-of violence of which the only aim was to achieve social peace with farmers… Then we obtained the cancellation of article 4 of the ministerial decree of 31 May 2021. The law, which set guidelines on the implementation of these scaring measures, did not make any plans to protect pregnant bears or those accompanied by their young from the most brutal techniques, which we immediately condemned.

New law, same violence

Yet, knowing that its decree of 20 June 2022 allowing scaring measures was similar to the one that was partially cancelled, the Ministry has tried to cover its back with a new draft law. This one specifically makes it clear that only OFB agents are authorised to carry out increased scaring operations and states that sound effect shots can only be used against female bears accompanied by cubs when ‘depredation’ (which includes the notion of damage) appears to be certain.

Risk of injuries, the young being separated from their mothers…

New decree or not, the State’s objective remains the same: to satisfy farmers to the detriment of wild animals. Victims of this policy, bears are exposed to auditory injuries, while female bears, stressed and exhausted by the harassment that they are subjected to, risk not reaching full term in their pregnancy or being separated from their young. Do we need a reminder that with scarcely 70 individuals in the Pyrenees, the brown bear population is still extremely fragile and must be rigorously protected? In view of the persecution that these animals suffer, it is absolutely necessary…

The French National Council for the Protection of Nature [Conseil national de la protection de la nature (CNPN)] was consulted and has already given an unfavourable view on the ministerial decree project.

We remain resolutely against scaring measures which terrorise the bears into their territory. From 31 March to 21 April inclusive, a public consultation is open. Rally with us and show your support for bears (make sure to follow the requested procedure, otherwise views are not taken into account). Thank you!

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Montbéliard stray cats: One Voice is asking the town council to take responsibility.

Montbéliard stray cats: One Voice is asking the town council to take responsibility.

Montbéliard stray cats: One Voice is asking the town council to take responsibility.
04.04.2023
Montbéliard stray cats: One Voice is asking the town council to take responsibility.
Domestic animals

Once again, One Voice has been warned by supporters about the fact that a town council is refusing to implement neutering campaigns for stray cats. Today, it is the Montbéliard mayor who is threatening to take away shelters for stray cats on the basis that it should stop proliferation.

Even though the Montbéliard Town Council had had shelters installed for stray cats a few years ago, they have just realised that this did not prevent cats from continuing to reproduce! In response, they threatened to take away the shelters, instead of proceeding with a neutering campaign. A petition for the attention of the town council was also launched by the inhabitants and those protecting cats in the neighbourhood.

One Voice therefore wrote to the Montbéliard mayor today to inform her of her misunderstanding and to remind her that the legislation in place requires mayors to get stray cats neutered before using a pound service.

The essential rallying and the letter we wrote to the Songeons Town Council have finally paid off given that the Mayor has realised his error and repealed his decree. We hope that the Mayor of Montbéliard does the same.

Sign our petition for the implementation of a national plan to put an end to feline straying.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Captive circus animals: ministry subterfuges

Captive circus animals: ministry subterfuges

Captive circus animals: ministry subterfuges
31.03.2023
Captive circus animals: ministry subterfuges
Circuses

Under the framework of the law against animal mistreatment, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition committed to redefining the French National Advisory Committee for Captive Wildlife [Commission nationale consultative pour la faune sauvage captive (CNCFS)] regulations. The Committee, which has the power to issue competency certificates to trainers, ultimately will not have more representatives from animal rights associations. We condemn this decision.

Another missed opportunity!

On 10 November 2022, one year after the enactment of the law on animal mistreatment, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition finally presented its draft implementing decrees to animal rights associations. The problem: the new CNCFS regulations only provide one very minor place for associations compared with circus artists. Having been invited to give our view on this subject, we hoped to be heard. But the Ministry has turned a deaf ear. Decrees relating to the organisation of this committee have just been published, still leaving very little space for animal advocates. Worse, the number of representatives from zoos and circuses has tripled. This is a true refusal to advance the protection of animals kept in circuses!

A hypocritical Ministry

This Ministry, which guarantees associations will always be the minority against the captivity industry, is the same one that committed to put an end to exploiting wild animals for circuses by the end of 2028. Incidentally forgetting to specify to the general public that these measures do not apply to travelling circuses…

It also recently welcomed a new call for projects to create places in shelters for the animals that would survive the closure of their circuses. Behind the image that the Ministry for the Ecological Transition wants to portray, the reality is grim. It continues to trample on that which should be there to protect.

From 2021, an interministerial note guaranteed the protection of trainers to the detriment of their lions, tigers, elephants, and hippopotamuses, even before discussing the law, and we have again had examples of this in Cannes, Nice, and Menton in recent weeks: for another six years, the State intends to defend tooth and nail the activities of circuses who mistreat and exploit, failing to defend wild animals that are endangered. Very far from other European countries who have legislated clearly in their favour.

Nothing, neither circus artists nor the hypocrisy of the Ministry, will stop us in our fight. These animals have no place in a lorry!

Translated from the French by Joely Justice

Neutering cats is becoming obligatory in Spain. When will this happen in France?

Neutering cats is becoming obligatory in Spain. When will this happen in France?

Neutering cats is becoming obligatory in Spain. When will this happen in France?
24.03.2023
Neutering cats is becoming obligatory in Spain. When will this happen in France?
Strays

On 16 March 2023, the Spanish Parliament passed a new law reinforcing the welfare and protection of animals. Important advances will come into effect in September, in particular including the neutering of cats, whether stray or living with a family. In France, such an obligation could have seen the light of day when the 30 November 2021 law came in, but it was eventually dismissed due to political pressure.

Alongside this law, which also banned the sale of cats, dogs, and ferrets in pet shops, the exploitation of wild animals in circuses, and even the use of lethal methods to combat pigeons and rats, a reform of the Penal Code increased the penalties incurred in cases of mistreatment.

A necessity to put an end to the ordeal that felines endure

The Spanish law contains a provision making it obligatory to have cats surgically neutered before six months of age, with the exception of ‘breeders’ listed on the register of companion animal breeders. Stray cats are also included: they will be captured to be neutered and then released.

Any breach of this obligation will constitute a violation punishable by a fine of between €500 and €10,000.

Millions of cats suffer

There are 11 million stray cats and 15.1 million living with a family in France, but we still refuse to impose neutering, even while they are reproducing at an astounding rate. From the age of six months, females can have two litters per year, with an average of 2.8 kittens each time, of which half are female who themselves are capable of reproducing at the same rate… This means that after only seven years and with a kitten mortality rate of 15%, the descendants of a single mother and her daughters is theoretically more than 10,000 individuals.

Years 1-7

Table: theoretical descendants of a 7-year-old female cat (rounded figures)
NB: these figures are an approximation; the fertility of female cats increases each year until 7 years of age, therefore both the size of the litter and the real survival rate is unknown.

Table extracted from our study report “Stray cats in France: overview, problems, and solutions”.

Neutering is done for protection in order to decrease abandonments in rescue centres and euthanasias in pounds, all while avoiding contributing to feline overpopulation and its share of suffering: diseases, hunger, injuries, human mistreatment…

A missed opportunity in France

The opportunity to impose neutering in France nevertheless presented itself at the time of the debates around the 30 November 2021 law “aiming to fight against mistreatment of animals and strengthen the link between animals and humans”. While the initial project unfortunately did not concern individuals, it at least planned to generalise the neutering of stray cats by requiring mayors to capture and then microchip them before releasing them. This proposition was eventually rejected. Towns therefore only have the possibility and not an obligation to operate on stray cats, and in fact, associations often carry this responsibility alone with limited means.

However, we must not forget that as long as individuals leave their cats to breed before giving the kittens away to the first person that wants them, they will continue to feed overpopulation, straying, and feline suffering.

Help us to move forward with this fight: share our report with your local council and sign our petition demanding an urgent national plan to put an end to feline straying and the suffering that it causes.

Translated from the French by Joely Justice