News Archive - Page 6 of 141

World Horse Day: let’s live up to the bond that unites us

World Horse Day: let’s live up to the bond that unites us
11.07.2025
France
World Horse Day: let’s live up to the bond that unites us
Domestic animals

For World Horse Day, One Voice is reminding us of the many forms of suffering that we humans, our society and our laws impose on these animals, which have been some of our oldest companions since prehistoric times. Shows, circuses, racing, experimentation, tourism, slaughterhouses, hunting with hounds… we are definitely not living up to the faithful and extraordinary partners they have been and continue to be for the development of our species.

The United Nations General Assembly declared July 11 “World Horse Day”, calling for a celebration of their role in the evolution of the human species: “Few animals have contributed to the progress of humankind as profoundly – and unobtrusively – as the horse”. Unfortunately, this historical link is a one-way street. In France, horses and ponies are still subjected to countless forms of mistreatment, and their final destination is almost invariably the slaughterhouse. These practices, disguised as habits, trivialize the unacceptable.

“Man is the horse’s poorest conquest”

This quotation from Belgian linguist Jules Feller sums up the failings of our species towards equines.

Regarded as disposable, interchangeable objects, some are subjected to nothing but programmed suffering and death in animal experimentation, despite the fact that these opaque practices maintained by laboratories are condemned by public opinion. Others are mistreated, dragged from town to town without respect or dignity in shows or circuses. When they’re not tied up, far from meadows of fresh grass and access to water, they’re forced to wander around in painful postures. Others are forced to give up their lives to the applause and laughter of spectators at bullfights, where the violence is so omnipresent that their eyes are masked.

Whatever their health or weather conditions, humans exploit them to entertain tourists or feed gambling addiction, pushing them to the limit on the racecourse. Let’s not forget the individuals exploited in horse-riding events, hunting with hounds, or those who figure among the many collateral victims of hunters.

Abuse is everywhere, including in equestrian centers that cater for children and teenagers, claiming to offer “experiences rich in sharing and emotion”. Behind the pretty signs, how many cramped, dirty, dark stalls, beatings, loneliness and lack of care? Acts of abuse are sometimes committed in front of the youngsters.

Equidae are also used by certain humans as a means of venting their frustrations, and are victims of acts of cruelty by some, often following on from ill-treatment inflicted in the privacy of people’s homes. One Voice has been working to have this link between animal mistreatment and domestic violence recognized since 2007.

Denounce to better defend them

There is no exploitation of equines by humans that is not unworthy of their sensitivity, empathy and intelligence, and motivated by money.

Long gone are the days when tarpans roamed the plains and forests of Eastern Europe. Today, Przewalski’s horses, galloping across the Kazakh steppes, and mustangs, returned to the wild in the American West, remain the last free horses on our planet.

For more than twenty years, One Voice has been fighting for them, defending them while revealing the unacceptable practices to which they are subjected, and which are deeply rooted in our daily lives.

Denouncing these cruelties also means calling attention to the urgent need for a paradigm shift. If we continue to slaughter our faithful friends for non-essential, commercial food purposes, how can we collectively move towards a world without violence towards animals? How can a law that claims to “combat animal abuse and strengthen the bond between animals and humans” still consider that a stall life fulfills their essential needs as long as it allows them to “lie down”? Where is the consideration we owe them in the legality of their captivity and exploitation in traveling circuses, or their live disembowelment in bullfighting arenas?…

Let’s fight for them, for the recognition of their fundamental rights in our society.

Join us in demanding that horses and ponies no longer be classified as livestock, and that they be granted pet status so that they enjoy the same protection as dogs and cats.

Despite the devastating fire, a hearing will be held in Narbonne on 9 and 10 July for bluefin tuna victims of illegal overfishing

Despite the devastating fire, a hearing will be held in Narbonne on 9 and 10 July for bluefin tuna victims of illegal overfishing
08.07.2025
Aude
Despite the devastating fire, a hearing will be held in Narbonne on 9 and 10 July for bluefin tuna victims of illegal overfishing
Wildlife

While bluefin tuna are fighting for survival in the Mediterranean Sea, the French Federation of Sea Fishing (FFPM) and the Narbonne Wholesale Fishing Association (ANPG) have come up with nothing better than to devise a fraudulent system to allow illegal overfishing of these animals. Between 2017 and 2020, many of them ended up on the stalls of the tuna markets held every year in Narbonne. On 9 and 10 July, we are defending them in the judicial court of the sub-prefecture of the Aude region.

A fragile marine biodiversity…

Long in danger of extinction, bluefin tuna are still classified as near threatened by the National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN), even though they are acknowledged as one of the pillars of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. To remedy this situation, recreational fishing for these animals is regulated by annual ministerial orders defining the fishing seasons and maximum catch quotas.

… which the fishermen ignore

But in Narbonne, the authorisations already granted were clearly not enough for some fishermen eager to wrest ever more animals from their environment. This was the finding of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) when it discovered the tuna fishing events held annually in the city. Where did all these fish come from? There was room for doubt, and the OFB’s investigation ultimately revealed that between 2017 and 2020, many of the fish sold at these events had been the object of a system of downright organised fraud set up by the French Sea Fishing Federation and the Narbonne Big Game Fishing Association. For years, the two organisations encouraged recreational fishermen to break the rules using well-oiled methods. To carry out these raids unnoticed, all they had to do was falsify their declarations, starting with using the same tag for several tuna instead of just one. To top it all off, they took advantage of the annual tuna festivals to illegally sell their unfortunate catches…

A deadly pastime

For the accused, even the slightest concern for the suffering of the fish seems to be too much. When they are not forcibly removed from their habitats to entertain Sunday fishermen, they may also be subjected to experiments in which the use of electric fishing is not ruled out. And these cruel practices do not stop there, as many birds also suffer under them.

For the tuna illegally killed in Narbonne, to speak out on behalf of all fish victims of similar acts, and to protect the sea, we will be appearing in court in a civil suit on 9 and 10 July 2025.

Heatwave and animal suffering at Jardiland in Perpignan: this must stop

Heatwave and animal suffering at Jardiland in Perpignan: this must stop
08.07.2025
Heatwave and animal suffering at Jardiland in Perpignan: this must stop
Domestic animals

As the heatwave hit the country hard with temperatures reaching or exceeding 40°C in the shade in some regions, alarming reports reached us about the Jardiland store in Perpignan. A whistleblower, shocked by what he saw, documented how animals were being kept in completely unsuitable, even cruel conditions. We are calling on the group to take immediate action to relieve the affected individuals, to stop new arrivals and sales during summer, and to put a definitive end to the trade in sentient beings.

Everybody exposed to extreme heat, without protection or consideration for their needs

Outdoors in the blazing sun, placed on scorching concrete, chickens and other birds pant under metal sheets that turn the place into an oven. Thermometers show temperatures of up to 45°C in this first week of July.

As for those kept indoors, they are no better off, as the lack of air conditioning makes the air suffocating —a major health hazard. In the tanks, goldfish —a species that lives in cold water— are trying to survive in water exceeding 30°C.

Employees also work in this atmosphere… but they are lucky enough to be able to go home in the evening and to pass through cooler areas during the day, or when they have lunch…

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Mistreatment already reported in several shops

This is not an isolated case. In the spring of 2024, we already denounced the unbearable living conditions of chicks crammed into a terrarium at the Jardiland in Bonneuil-sur-Marne, trampling each other and dying in front of customers. In April 2025, it was the establishment in Metz that left fish to die in aquariums that had turned filthy due to neglect.

Each time, the same logic is at work: selling living beings as if they were mere objects, their basic needs thrown to the wind.

Living beings, not products

The trade in animals must stop. These practices are no longer acceptable in a society that claims to care about their welfare. The conditions in which they are bred, transported, “displayed” and now kept during the heatwave show the extent of the suffering inflicted on sentient beings for purely commercial reasons.

Jardiland must urgently take responsibility by:

Immediately implementing measures to relieve the animals currently on sale in Perpignan;
Stopping new arrivals in Jardiland stores starting this summer;
Permanently stopping the sale of sentient living beings in all of the chain’s establishments.

Take action now!

Write to Jardiland’s head office to demand an immediate halt to the sale of animals and a genuine consideration for their welfare:

by post: a template is available here;
or by email via: the form on the Jardiland website

A simple message can make a difference. Make your voice heard for those who cannot speak for themselves. Because a bird gasping for breath, a fish slowly “cooking” or a hen burning under a tin roof are not “seasonal products”. They are living beings. And they deserve better. Our species would be better for it, just for once…

Emmanuel Macron, the wolves’ gravedigger: another retrograde stance in Roquefort!

Emmanuel Macron, the wolves’ gravedigger: another retrograde stance in Roquefort!
04.07.2025
Emmanuel Macron, the wolves’ gravedigger: another retrograde stance in Roquefort!
Wildlife

Emmanuel Macron’s latest major project for animals? To “prevent the establishment of wolves where there is pastoralism”, even if it means “removing more wolves”. In order to promote, instead, the establishment of destructive agriculture, fuelled by pesticides, each more toxic than the last. We intend to call to mind a few truths about wolves, who do far more for the balance of our ecosystems than our public authorities and those who claim to “love” nature.

What a disgrace! President Macron’s second five-year term is a war on biodiversity to the bitter end, even in the wake of an unprecedented heatwave. Throughout his terms of office, he has behaved like the gravedigger of wolves and all wild animals, pandering to the livestock and hunting lobbies. His trip to Roquefort and his speech there on Thursday, July 3, 2025 are only the most recent expressions of this.

Death as the only solution… Spoiler: it’s not even effective!

The prefect coordinating the National Action Plan on wolves has already expressed her concern that an “unprecedented number” of wolves have already been killed in France at this time of year. The Head of State, on the other hand, chose to add fuel to the fire.

“We mustn’t wait until it [wolves, editor’s note] has settled in, until you’ve made all the investments, before we can harvest”. Using a filthy technocratic vocabulary (“to harvest”, he says…), Emmanuel Macron assumes the role of leading proponent of the eradication of wild animals, wolves in the first place. With these words, he is admitting his own failure: making farmers believe that culling is the only solution, not cohabitation. Killing has been made easier for several months now, with ministerial decrees each more hypocritical than the last.

A stupid and wicked policy

Systematic shooting does nothing to resolve the anger of breeders! Scientists are unanimous: in Spain and Michigan (USA), they found that shooting led to an increase in predation in subsequent years and in the surrounding area. In France, this ineffective and deadly policy has been practiced for years…

Wolves are our allies, like all living creatures

Political power’s disconnect from reality is reaching new heights. Emmanuel Macron is a bad pupil and a good demagogue: he claims that the wolves have been reintroduced, an appalling lie from a president. He would do better to listen to the eight out of ten French people (Ipsos/One Voice poll, November 2024) who believe that wolves have their rightful place in the wild. Though their detractors may not like it.

Tracking down every newcomer in the departments, like Camille in the Saône-et-Loire region and Milo and Mina in the Corrèze region, will solve nothing.

State rhetoric is largely inspired by the nauseating rhetoric of lobbies. Hunters in the Alpes-Maritimes region claim that wolves threaten wildlife. You can’t make this up, coming from those who slaughter wild animals at every turn. Are they afraid that wolves are much better than they are at their so-called mission of “regulation”?

The facts are there: in the Netherlands, it has been shown that wolves prefer wild ungulates such as roe deer and wild boars. Around Mont Ventoux, they have helped to regenerate forests. In Poland, they are a welcome sight, “regulating” deer and wild boars in the fields.

Fires and soil erosion, the consequences of unbridled pastoralism

The main culprits in the degradation of nature are intensive activities, of which unbridled pastoralism is one. The lobbyists have certainly done their homework! Emmanuel Macron seems to ignore the basics: the source of imbalances in ecosystems never comes from nature itself! When nature reclaims its rights and regains its health, it should be welcomed as a blessing.

Join us in refusing to let wolves become the expiatory victims of a deadly outdated system that is driving us into the wall at breakneck speed. Sign to put an end to their persecution!

An environmental disaster in Pas-de-Calais: Local Ocean, the grim project behind a salmon factory farm

An environmental disaster in Pas-de-Calais: Local Ocean, the grim project behind a salmon factory farm
03.07.2025
Pas-de-Calais
An environmental disaster in Pas-de-Calais: Local Ocean, the grim project behind a salmon factory farm
Wildlife

Fish farms have become common in Europe and around the world, causing major ecological damage. Today, the company Local Ocean wants to set up in Le Portel in France. Its goal? To produce in large quantities to meet French demand and, even more, to stimulate it. With this race for profit will come devastating pollution, while the welfare of the salmon is annihilated in one fell swoop… One Voice is committed to protecting these animals who are largely forgotten by everyone, and is joining forces with its partner associations to stop this senseless project.

The closed-loop model: the greenwashing of fish farms

Two million salmon per year: when Local Ocean boasts about opening a large-scale fish farm –no less than 12.6 hectares are needed for its construction– based on the model of seawater recycling, it’s close to forgetting about the rest. Closed-loop fish farming, or recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), is not good for the environment, far from it, and denotes a system that is far from being under control. Pollution of water, soil and air, destruction of habitats and wetlands, disruption of marine parks, disturbance of local birds and seals… The large amounts of animal waste discharged into the sea – an estimated 260 tonnes of nitrogen and 87 tonnes of phosphorus per year – are just the tip of the iceberg.

The Prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region is literally turning a blind eye to the many risks to nature. Whether in Chile or Canada, the problems are well known. In Norway, thousands of aquatic animals recently escaped from their farms, putting wild salmon, whose population is already in decline, at risk of extinction. Between crossbreeding and the spreading of disease, this means disaster for them. Worse still, the food in these factory farms is based on animal meal, requiring increased overfishing. This is how the company “ducks” the question!

Unimaginable suffering for millions of salmon crammed together

Local Ocean is planning additional cruelty, similar to what already exists in extensive farms, such as those intended for hunting, but this time… in the water! According to numerous studies, for instance involving Scottish farms, the salmon are deprived of minimal space, and their living conditions will be deplorable: injuries to their fins or tails, constant artificial light, stress and anxiety… Such overcrowding systematically requires preventive treatment with antibiotics at will, and, of course, a simple failure of the system would lead to mass mortality among these salmon.

To combat this large-scale aquaculture, One Voice is part of the request lodged by France Nature Environnement Hauts-de-France, GDEAM-62, L214 and Nord Nature Environnement before the Administrative Court in Lille.

In the meantime, read our leaflet for more information on the subject and sign the petition against these fish factory farms!

Killing traps, stop the slaughter

Killing traps, stop the slaughter
02.07.2025
France
Killing traps, stop the slaughter
Wildlife

They blindly kill and maim thousands of wild and domestic animals every year in a deafening silence. Instruments of torture that undermine our natural spaces, traps are one of the most cowardly and cruel practices in existence.

Buoyed by our recent victory for ESODs (species likely to cause damage), who are their primary victims, we are taking action with the Minister in charge of hunting to demand an end to the certification of 13 trap models. If our request is refused, we will take the matter to the State Council.

Hours of anguish and suffering

Scattered throughout the undergrowth and countryside, traps have only one purpose: to slaughter as many animals as possible whose only crime is to be arbitrarily considered “undesirable”. There are cages into which animals are lured before the gates slam shut and a man comes to kill them off with a rifle, a knife… or a club.

There are snares, which constrict the limbs of those who get caught in them, or suffocate their victims for hours. And, of course, there are devices equipped with jaws, whose sole purpose is to break the neck or crush the spine.

Designed to kill small mammals, particularly those classified as ESOD, such as weasels and martens, these death traps are not selective, and they kill many other wild animals, such as fawns and even wolves. Our domestic companions are not spared either. Examples include the dog Red Collar who lost a leg, and Cooky who lost his life after hours of agony. The cat Tigrou also died, guilty only of having gone for a walk.

For an effective ban on jaw traps!

The ultra-violent nature of these devices is well established. However, twenty years after the European Union banned jaw traps, the authorities in our country continue to approve them by the bucketful, along with paddle traps, kill traps and egg traps*.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals fall victim to them. This silent slaughter must stop. In 2019, after a strong mobilisation in which we took part, drowning traps were banned. On 13 May this year, we achieved a historic victory against the very idea of the ESOD classification: from now on, the capture of martens is banned throughout France, as well as that of many species in dozens of regions. Now is the time to build on this success.

One Voice is asking the Minister in charge of hunting to withdraw the approval of 13 jaw traps. If we receive no response or a negative response, we will refer the matter to the State Council in order to challenge the refusal. In the meantime, see our leaflet and sign to demand a ban on all these deadly devices!

* Traps consisting of a pallet or jaws with a bait system, sometimes imitating that of an egg. The system is triggered and the trap closes on the animal which then endures excruciating suffering.

Animal experimentation: the European Commission draws up its roadmap

Animal experimentation: the European Commission draws up its roadmap
02.07.2025
Union européenne
Animal experimentation: the European Commission draws up its roadmap
Animal testing

Committed to building a Europe without animal testing, and represented on this occasion by ECEAE and Cruelty Free Europe, One Voice took part last June in the 3rd and final workshop organized by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in Helsinki. The aim: to draw up a roadmap for ending animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetics, cleaning products and medicines, all of which come under the same regulations.

This roadmap is in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative “Save cruelty – free cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without animal testing”, launched in 2021 in 22 countries. Spearheaded in France by One Voice, which was also a member of the organizing committee, it collected 1.2 million signatures in just one year.

This is a crucial step. On June 16 and 17, animal rights activists were once again present, as well as industry, academia and the authorities representatives for the third and final workshop organized by the European Chemicals Agency. Around the table, 550 people were united by a common objective: to put an end to animal experiments in chemical safety assessment, while ensuring a high level of protection.

Following the speeches, the European Commission outlined a roadmap for rapidly reducing the use of animals.

In particular, it plans to:

eliminate redundant tests on two species, generally rodents, then dogs, primates or pigs;
actively promote alternative methods such as artificial intelligence or modeling;
scientifically justify the number of animals used.

This action plan will require the prior creation of operational tools such as:

a structure to coordinate its implementation;
the identification of experiments that could be replaced in the short, medium and long term.

In the longer term, alternative methods will need to be developed, standardized and harmonized across the European Union.

Let’s not forget that millions of animals still suffer every year in laboratories throughout the European Union. Nearly 8.5 million uses recorded in 2022… To change course, the action of associations and citizens is essential. As part of these two coalitions, we’re in the best position to act as advocates on behalf of animal victims of experimentation. Together, let’s keep getting things moving!

Heatwave: an additional ordeal for animals

Heatwave: an additional ordeal for animals
01.07.2025
France
Heatwave: an additional ordeal for animals
Natural habitat

Though we are forced to cancel our activities for this Wednesday due to the heatwave, our thoughts are with all the animals suffering from this extreme heat and constantly exposed to the risks it entails: wildfires, drought, water shortages, etc. We continue to fight so that, whether captive or free, they can live with dignity, without falling victims to the temperature rises caused by humans.

The appalling living conditions of captive animals are exacerbated during hot weather

While they endure harsh living conditions all year round, animals held captive in circuses suffer even more when temperatures reach their peak: water becomes scarce, and they suffocate on the tarmac of car parks or in metal trucks. We have alerted public opinion to the plight of a donkey without water or shade in a circus.

The absurdity of captivity reached its peak when Marineland subjected the bear Rasputin to the extreme temperatures of the French Riviera. Cruel confinement knows no bounds when it comes to “entertainment”, regardless of the suffering it causes. The intense heat also has a violent impact on the orcas Wikie and Keijo, so far from the Icelandic waters where their parents were captured. The water in their pools would have to be cooled to a maximum of 15°C, which is not the case even under normal circumstances.

In breeding facilities for animals destined for experimentation, such as those for dogs in Gannat or Mézilles, or for primates in Rousset, hundreds of animals are confined in cages or aviaries, often without sufficient thermal insulation. Deprived of a natural environment, they endure the heatwave with no possibility of cooling down or finding effective shelter. It’s an extra punishment on top of the experiments…

For individuals left to fend for themselves, such as stray cats, this furnace only exacerbates their already dire situation.

Transport to slaughterhouses is unbearable, but it becomes downright suffocating in extreme heat. Circus animals are also transported from city to city in overheated cage trucks.

Primates used for experimentation are imported from Mauritius or Asia for twenty hours or more, in tiny cages, without access to food or water.

Free-roaming animals, the first witnesses to climate change

Wild animals are the first victims of climate change. They see their territories go up in smoke and have to face fires they cannot escape. Those who avoid being trapped in the fires struggle to find food and water. There is an urgent need to preserve their habitats: the 6th mass extinction is underway. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights describes the climate crisis as a “human rights crisis”. But what about all the animals and ecosystems that are suffering as a result of our species’ actions and now our almost universal inaction?

The last few days have been unspeakably violent for animals, with temperatures well above seasonal norms. The care centres that come to their aid are overwhelmed.

For their survival, it is time to rethink our practices towards nature. They are bearing the brunt of the consequences of climate change, while hunters and excessive urbanisation are dealing them the fatal blow.

Yet eight out of ten French people agree with the principle of banning hunting in regions that have suffered from drought (Ipsos/One Voice survey, October 2023).

We call on the authorities to take responsibility rather than giving in to the destructive desires of the lobbies of intensive agriculture and hunting. It is our duty to protect the world in which we live, and the multitude of flora and fauna that inhabit it. These extreme weather events remind us that we are dependent on the very nature that humanity is destroying. For nature and all those who inhabit it, we will continue to fight!

Faced with the death of fish in the Grenne, One Voice challenges the prefecture for remaining silent

Faced with the death of fish in the Grenne, One Voice challenges the prefecture for remaining silent
26.06.2025
Loir-et-Cher
Faced with the death of fish in the Grenne, One Voice challenges the prefecture for remaining silent
Natural habitat

Also known as the “Tuilerie stream”, the Grenne is undergoing changes to its natural environment… and not without reason: a company classified as low-threshold Seveso (1) is located nearby. On 12 March 2025, all the fish present died without any alarm or explanation being issued by the authorities. Wild and domestic animals, flora and humans are threatened by potential health risks. Time passes, yet opacity reigns: the prefecture of Loir-et-Cher provides no details on the tests carried out on the water. Today, One Voice supports local residents in calling for the disclosure of information and the restoration of this inhabited natural environment.

A site under surveillance, but not without impact

Barbel, pike, eel, trout, crayfish: until recently, the Grenne river branch was home to an entire ecosystem. But on 12 March, a genuine massacre was discovered: the animals were found dying and perishing one after the other.

Like the effect of a bomb, the pollution believed to be the cause of the disaster can be traced back to the activities of the Aalberts plant located a few steps from the riverbank.

Specialising in the production of piping systems for liquids and gases, the factory is well-known to local residents: toxic products were already discharged into the water in 2018 and 2021. Fires have also broken out in the factory. The company stores many hazardous chemicals, which explains its classification as a low-threshold SEVESO site. It is therefore monitored but not entirely virtuous. Every day, these industrial sites on the edge of natural areas reveal a little more of their dangerousness and the destruction of animals and biodiversity in general.

Polluted water, dead fish… and a lack of transparency

The suspected presence of bromine, cyanide and bleach is believed to be responsible for the deterioration of the water quality. These toxic ingredients can cause respiratory tract irritation, eye reactions and death. Most importantly, these components will not disappear without human intervention…

But, as if nothing had happened, no action has been taken: neither the population nor the farmers who are part of the population and are the first to be affected have received any information about this pollution. While a water analysis is being carried out, there is a crucial lack of transparency: after the prefects failed to publish the results, the reports themselves are now unknown to everyone. The French Office for Biodiversity had detected alkali contamination in the water, which led to a ban on fishing by decree. But that decision was lifted overnight. Had the harmful substances miraculously disappeared? Against damage to the environment and the poisoning of nature, whether intentional or not, the facts will not be ignored.

Sign the petition “La Grenne en vie!” now, and join One Voice in calling on the authorities to disclose the results of the analyses and restore the site:

Mr Prefect,

On 12 March 2025, numerous fish were found dead in the Grenne river. Analyses were carried out, but the results have not been disclosed.

However, Articles L. 311-1 et seq. of the Code of Relations between the Public and the Administration stipulate that public authorities are obliged to disclose the administrative documents in their possession to persons who request them.

This is also stipulated in the Environmental Code, which requires the disclosure of ‘all information relating to the environment held, received or produced by public authorities’, including ‘the state of the environment, in particular the air, the atmosphere, water, soil, land, landscapes, natural sites, coastal or marine areas and biological diversity, as well as the interactions between these elements” (Articles L.124-1 et seq.).

The numerous environmental and health risks are currently largely unknown and yet no information has been provided to local residents or even farmers.

What about the use of water from this river? Must we wait for another mass death before these documents are released?

How many animals, wild and domestic, plants, algae, and citizens will be affected by the disastrous consequences of this silence?

We ask you to put an end to the lack of transparency and to communicate all information relating to the analyses carried out following these events within a sufficient time frame to allow any interested citizen to know the impact of this pollution on the environment and their own health.

We also request that measures be taken to restore and maintain the biodiversity.

Yours sincerely,

1 Site classified as posing industrial risks, whether moderate (low threshold) or major (high threshold), due to the presence of hazardous chemicals. The factory must therefore comply with strict safety rules to prevent accidents.

Inauguration of a Chatipi in Drancy on 5 July: an ethical project for stray cats and for raising public awareness

Inauguration of a Chatipi in Drancy on 5 July: an ethical project for stray cats and for raising public awareness
25.06.2025
Drancy
Inauguration of a Chatipi in Drancy on 5 July: an ethical project for stray cats and for raising public awareness
Domestic animals

On Saturday 5 July 2025 at 11am at 5, Villa de l’Avant-Garde, the town of Drancy will inaugurate its very first Chatipi. This project will provide support for the feline population, offer shelter to stray cats and raise awareness among residents about their situation which is often overlooked. The inauguration of the shelter, located on municipal land, will take place in the presence of Ms Aude Lagarde, Mayor of Drancy, Ms Marie-José Pinto-Vaz, President of the association Les Animaux Errants de l’Économie, and Ms Mathilde Perrot, representative of One Voice.

A local emergency

Despite the actions taken by the town of Drancy and local associations, the municipality is facing an ever-growing population of stray cats due to excessive abandonment and the failure of owners to neuter their animals. Too often mistakenly perceived as self-sufficient, cats without families are in fact confronted with disease, cold, hunger and sometimes even human malice.

At the initiative of the town and in partnership with One Voice, this Chatipi will not only provide shelter for homeless cats which will be sterilised and tagged, but will also inform citizens about the importance of this operation and the need to respect these living beings.

Located in a residential neighbourhood, this initiative has been very well received by local residents, proving that awareness-raising and mediation can change attitudes.

Division of tasks

One Voice, the creator of the project, has financed the hut, the cat flaps and the educational panels, the veterinary costs for fifteen cats (sterilisation, tagging and tests for feline diseases), as well as thirty kilos of dry food for the launch of the initiative.

The association Les Animaux Errants de l’Économie will cover the long-term costs of food, feeding and veterinary care for the residents of the Chatipi. It will organise the trapping and health monitoring of the cats, and the fitting-out and cleaning of the hut. The most sociable cats will be put up for adoption.

The municipality of Drancy has kindly provided a plot of land belonging to it. The town’s technical services have been in charge of creating the concrete slab supporting the hut, assembling it and installing the panels and cat flaps. The town will also be managing the maintenance of all this equipment over time.

A multifaceted national programme

Across France, more than sixty Chatipis have already been created, including in nursing homes, schools and hospitals, to provide comfort or serve as educational aids. This initiative, which combines animal protection and civic education, is now recognised for its tangible impact in the field.

📍Practical information

Address: 5, Villa de l’Avant-Garde, 93700 Drancy

Date: Saturday 5 July 2025

Time: 11am

The inauguration will be followed by a reception organised by the town council.