News Archive - Page 94 of 148

Chirkane, the rebel that was sacrificed

Chirkane, the rebel that was sacrificed
06.12.2019
Loir-et-Cher
Chirkane, the rebel that was sacrificed
Exploitation for shows

Chirkane could no longer take the abuse of the circus. He rebelled, he said stop this ordeal to his trainer. Immediately, we proposed to transfer him along with his brother Elyo to the origins of their African lands. Facing a wall of silence and obscurity for almost three years, we rallied together to find out what had happened to him. We have just learned that Chirkane was killed. We are indignant at his « euthanasia ». A lion guilty of being too free in a world where subjugation is the keyword.

There are places where we “love” to see wild animals, so much so that they are forced to live among us. But beware, they are meant to be “savages” as we understand them, that is, captives, tamed and servile. And beware of those who do not fully submit. Chirkane, the “circus lion”, paid with his life.

Guilty of being a lion

This is the terrible news that we have just learned in a letter from the Prefecture of Maine-et-Loire, dated November 21st, 2019. Thus, Chirkane was killed, following a misconduct on May 7th 2017. That day, exhausted, no longer tolerating his conditions of detention and the violence, he refused to carry out an order and instinctively kicked back. Although it was not a deadly attack, the large predator was found guilty. Just when he decided to express his weariness, when he behaved like a free lion, he had signed his own death warrant!

A wall of silence

Since the accident, we had feared the prospect of this tragic end and had stepped up our efforts to have Chirkane entrusted to us. But we regularly ran into brick walls, for him and his brother Elyo. We asked the Maine-et-Loire Prefecture to withdraw Elyo and let us know where Chirkane was. In response, the Prefect told us that he had alerted the director of veterinary services. Then, after that, radio silence …

Months of battling and hope

For our part, in parallel with our fight for Elyo which led to his placement in a zoo-refuge, we continued to knock on all doors about Chirkane, including that of CADA (Commission for Access to Administrative Documents) and the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition. We ended up grabbing the latter to finally know where he was. A month later, a rather evasive answer informed us that the « operator » no longer held lions and that an animal was now equipped with a transponder … Was it Chirkane? There was still hope… It continued to motivate us until the reception of that fatal letter from the Prefect at the beginning of the week, officialising the «euthanasia» of Chirkane. A priori, this poor male was killed as early as 2018 and probably in front of Elyo, his brother, his cage companion…

The fight goes on

Attached to this announcement, a decree states that the former operator of Chirkane has been refused renewal of its operating license. If, of course, we are happy to have saved Elyo and that the circus has lost his authorization to welcome other felines, we feel a deep sadness for Chirkane, a large wild beast delivered as food to this human madness and whose death could have been avoided. The announcement of his slaughter also reinforces our worries about Sultan, another lion in the hands of the Circassians, of whom we have lost track of since the beginning of 2018. We fear the worst but we will not stop fighting to burst out and uncover the truth about how circuses and the authorities who are responsible for protecting animals really treat them.

Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?

Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?
05.12.2019
France
Does the law finally decide to defend wolves?
Wildlife

We have been fighting to stop the hunting of wolves in France for years. We have had demonstrations towards raising the awareness about the identity of wolves and meetings with government departments regarding legal actions. In 2018, we took steps at the State Council against the inter-ministerial orders and the presidential decree allowing the killing of wolves despite this species being protected. We also filed an appeal against the Prefect, the coordinator of the «wolf plan». So far, we have partially won, proof that the cause of wolves is advancing both within the population and within the justice system. But we’re not going to let our guard down…

Last August, a masked anti-wolf militia with handguns in the Hautes-Alpes declared they were ready to fight. Its members affirm that they will eradicate the wolves in the vicinity if the state does not bow under their threats. The facts themselves are shocking and call for an unequivocal response: We filed a complaint concerning a conspiracy to destroy a protected species.

The State is complicit in trying to wipe animals out of our country

However, whatever these poachers say, the state protects the breeders and hunters, and supports their demands! They think they’re above the law? Why should they worry when their President of the Republic had claimed since last February that: «Wolves, will be regulated! [… ] How do you exactly explain the numbers to be regulated?”, when his Minister of the Interior, on November 21st, unequivocally translated this as “killing the wolf”— Despite all their efforts to hide the fact that the biodiversity is the least of their worries, the government assumes that it’s only looking after one thing: to eradicate wolves little by little. In the beginning the «wolf plan» allowed the killing of up to 40 wolves a year. It then went up to 43, 50 and then to 100! One Voice has always signed up against any quota whatsoever. Wolves must be protected, not targeted! They are highly intelligent and sociable beings and have a role to play in the ecosystem.

« Buter du loup »…
Oui, en France, le massacre des loups se pratique avec l’assentiment des représentants du @gouvernementFR censés prendre leur défense! Si vous en doutiez voici les propos de @CCastaner sur les loups ce mardi. #FauneSauvage
Merci à @STouvert – Vidéo @dicitv pic.twitter.com/35GBECbsFY

— One Voice (@onevoiceanimal) November 21, 2019

Inter-ministerial decree and presidential decree soon to be called into question following our appeals!

At the State Council in December 2nd, we requested the cancellation of the inter-ministerial decrees and the presidential decree, designating the Prefect the coordinator of the wolf plan and its exact powers. This included the number of wolves hunted and that the Prefects may deviate from the law regarding the protection of wolves. These quotas and derogations serve only one purpose: agricultural and hunting lobbies, to the detriment of the biodiversity. The public, mostly opposed to these orders, was not fooled. But the ministry of ecology in charge the protection of nature regulates the way in which it must be destroyed, and worse, asks the State Council to reject our requests.

The public speaker – whose opinion is mostly followed by the State Council in its decision-making – rejected most of our requests. Quotas will remain in place. On the other hand, if the State Council follows the public speaker’s opinion well, the coordinating Prefect will no longer be able to authorize the shooting of wolves if the threshold is reached, even with the excuse that this would endanger the herds. If the cancellation is pronounced by the State Council, One Voice, the only body facing the authorities of the State, will have them bow down and will diminish the powers of the Prefect.

The Prefectural order cancelled: the wolves were killed illegally

Moreover, it was precisely at this point that we attacked the Prefect of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Rhône. This Prefect coordinated the wolf plan at the Grenoble administrative court, because he had assumed the right to have three additional wolves killed on top of the already huge number set by the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition. Unfortunately, we were dismissed from this emergency, and the wolves were slaughtered. But after the hearing of last November 14th, at the time of the judgment the verdict was decided: we had obtained the annulment of the Prefectural decree: but, the wolves were thus unlawfully killed.

And should we be satisfied with this post-mortem victory? No! Our mission is to save lives! Once again, we see that wolves have not finished being sacrificed on the altar of ancestral fears and the interests of the hunting and breeding lobbies. We will never abandon them, and will continue to attack any Prefectural or ministerial decree organizing their deaths.

Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view

Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view
04.12.2019
Tunis
Belvedere of Tunis: dying in full view
Wildlife

The Belvedere Zoological Park in Tunis is very badly named indeed. Unless animal suffering can be considered as a source of contemplation. In this sordid place, the residents are not only captive, but also victims of the worst sort of abominable suffering. Help us save them!

In some zoos, the public throws peanuts at the monkeys. A major problem for primates because peanuts can make them sick. But in the majority of cases, the people who feed them in this way are not intending to cause harm. It is up to the management to inform them correctly and to put an end to these types of practices. In Tunis, however, anything goes! And it’s not just peanuts or pieces of dry bread that one might throw to the animals. The Belvedere Zoo, the largest park in the city, became famous in March 2017 after a group of visitors continually threw stones at a crocodile…!

Open cemetery

This tragedy caused a stir at the time. Even outside of the country’s borders, in addition to this, other scandals things have been uncovered within this establishment, which is in reality akin to a house of death. Thanks to ALVIA, a local association, and the relay of social networks, the world has thus discovered what is happing here. Horrifying things such as, monkeys wasting away in their tiny cages in the basement, wild beasts and Vietnam pigs undernourished and deprived of water despite the heat, a dying bear, unable to move, a lion cub abandoned in a pit untreated and wounded. There are corpses and bones in the enclosures, all is in a mess … Not to mention the general unsanitary conditions, especially pools strewn with rubbish where swans have choked …

Operation Makeover

Faced with this international outcry, the municipality (who are the management of the zoo) wanted to take matters into their own hands. Following the stoning of the crocodile, they urgently closed the doors of this institution to begin its renovation. Today, green spaces are better maintained and the enclosures look less like landfills. But appearances are deceptive. The zoological park is still sorely lacking in resources and personnel. If the corpses are now better hidden, the animals do not receive any more attention than they did before. The sick and / or depressed are left to a sad fate, when they are not butchered before the eyes of their fellow species or passers-by to « shorten » their suffering if they have not received treatment in time.

Let’s act now!

The ALVIA association continues to fight to denounce these atrocities and save the survivors. She calls us to help to put pressure on the municipality of Tunis and get these suffering beings immediately placed into sanctuaries where they can finally benefit from appropriate care and an environment that meets their needs. Help us to relay their calls by signing the petition.

To strengthen your action, you can also send a letter (a model letter is available here) to:

Municipality of Tunis:

E-mail: webmaster@commune-tunis.gov.tn
Phone number: +216 71 57 11 98

Direction of the zoological park whose director is Mahmoud Latiri

E-mail : zootunis@municipalite-tunis.gov.tn
Phone number: +216 71 897716 / +216 897726

Ministry of Tourism :

E-mail: boc@tourisme.gov.tn
Phone Number: +216 71 341 077

French Embassy in Tunisia:

E-mail: Mail@consulfrance-tunis.org
Phone Number: +216 31 315 111

Micha, Glasha, Bony, Mina…: the overwhelming evidence of inertia shown by the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher

Micha, Glasha, Bony, Mina…: the overwhelming evidence of inertia shown by the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher
28.11.2019
Loir-et-Cher
Micha, Glasha, Bony, Mina…: the overwhelming evidence of inertia shown by the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher
Exploitation for shows

In the case made available to us by the Orleans Administrative Court, the evidence is overwhelming against the Poliakovs, but also against the authorities who have pointed out the dysfunctions year after year without ever taking the measures required by the law. They finally acted due to the revelations that we published about the dreadful conditions these animals were kept in. Under the duress of Minister’s and the generalized stigma attached to such a publication did something happen.

For animal welfare, it is not enough just to order visits!

In summary, at each inspection, the non-conformities are repeated again and again, but nothing happens in the way of sanctions against the Poliakovs. Since their authorization to open, and the first check in 2010, when they do not have the correct papers in good order for their two dozen animals, they are simply asked to apply for them. These animals could come from illegal channels, or even stolen from private individuals, no investigation is carried out.

An aviary took twelve years to be finally built, so the birds had to live in tiny cages filled with droppings and food, left in the darkness at the bottom of a trailer. Again, the administration did not act as it should have. The bear den and their enclosure took a decade to be partially- built and is not maintained properly … Again, despite the notices piled up on the Prefecture shelves, none of this is followed up. Reading the documents in the file, it is impossible to follow the animals since they are not declared or disappear (a doe, a monkey), their health leaves something to be desired (horses and ponies with untrimmed hoofs that are too long, a mare covered in abscesses, a dromedary which died without an autopsy in a climate of mistreatment …), nothing happens. The years pass without the slightest sanction. And yet the suffering continues.

These bears have a miserable life

The bears have been living in a partitioned cage inside of a truck trailer since at least 2004, the year of our first investigation. At the time, the Poliakovs hired their services to circuses. But it was not until 2011 that the administration gave them four months to complete a building with an enclosure to house the bears, because they were in breach of their authorization to open in 2007. In the meantime, the bears survive in a 4 m² space.

In 2017, the facility was built and in order, the bear’s health was declared satisfactory … But after our complaints, in September 2019, change of tone in the reports: the cells required the removal of rats and the windows have never been finished, the troughs are non-compliant. In November 2019, when Micha had just died, veterinary experts had finally attested to what our experts had denounced as «the presence of nauseating stagnant water in the bowl of the female Glasha», that Bony and Glasha’s teeth are causing chronic pain and that she had developed a tumour so large that it forms a mass near her eye.

The veterinary certificate is superfluous

At the beginning of September, unaware that images had been filmed a few days before, and whereas Micha should never have been trained or moved (his papers were in order for the category of « zoo » and not for a « traveling show ») a veterinarian certified that the bear was in good cardio-pulmonary health and that its weight was correct, the only point to review according to him being the length of its claws. He therefore gives his authorization for Micha to be shown in public. We now know that the bear was beaten and invaded by ubiquitous tumours that were even in the brain, that cartilage had blocked his nostrils, that his larynx was deformed by the chain by which his captors held him, that he weighed two thirds of the weight of a healthy bear and that maggots gnawed at him from the inside of his legs … a strange certificate. But this one does not concern the Prefecture… until it needs to clear itself.

Mina, 6 years old in a 50 cm2 cage in the dark

The papers of Mina, the little Guenon monkey have never been in good standing since at least December 2010. Where does this monkey come from? Is there any evidence that it belongs to the Poliakovs? Yet it will never be removed. Another monkey disappears, without consequence. In 2011, the inspector wrote that Mina was detained in the bear truck, in a 50 cm by 50 cm cage, in the dark, in « unacceptable » conditions. The inspector asked for a place to be built for them to live in. Four months later. When finally, in 2017, the monkey has a space of adequate size, it is empty of enrichment though, requested by the authorities only after our complaints were filed in September 2019. Similarly, the stinging nettles and waste left on the ground are not identified in the last reports …

In September the tone got tougher, but in November it was time for a pass through

In the month of November 2019, when Micha’s death had wrenched our hearts out and checks are finally diligent, we observe once again that the Poliakovs benefit from a strange benevolence from the authorities: many points were raised during the time the inspectors were on site or were not respected because they had “not read all the terms of the order”… You think to yourself that you’re dreaming when you read this. Dirt and rubbish still lie in Mina’s enclosure, they will be removed in front of the inspector. She still has no papers in good standing; however, she is still used for films or reports. And the Prefecture gives them a few more days to comply! A Parrot’s papers are also not compliant, they don’t have the right ones. The report suggests that the steps were not taken properly, since 2007. Who in our society benefits from such delays in getting things compliant?

We are entitled to wonder why captive wild animals are not better protected by the authorities who should guarantee them this. It is not enough to order checks. Penalties must be punished. Micha’s withdrawal, and then Bony and Glasha’s withdrawal order are proof that this is not impossible to order. You still have to want it. We demand accountability from the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher this Thursday, November 28^th 2019 at 2 p.m. at the Administrative Court of Orleans.

Bony and Glasha have temporarily escaped the clutches of their keepers

Bony and Glasha have temporarily escaped the clutches of their keepers
25.11.2019
Loir-et-Cher
Bony and Glasha have temporarily escaped the clutches of their keepers
Exploitation for shows

Three days before the hearing at the Orleans Administrative Court where we have demanded the presence of the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher, they have now decided on the temporary placement of Bony and Glasha into alternative accommodation. It is a relief for these two bears, who’s very worrying state of health has finally been recognized. But they still remain the property of the Poliakovs and there is no a word about the other animals.

The Prefect justifies the decision concerning the rehousing of these bears following the veterinary report that we requested during our appeal. The alarming observation attests to what we have been claiming for more than two months: Glasha and Bony are permanently suffering and are in a terrible state. Our experts were right. The thickness near Glasha’s eye is a cancerous tumour and Bony, like Glasha, is suffering from chronic dental pain. We have not been fooled, the teeth of these bears just didn’t « disappear » overnight, just as the tumours did not mysteriously appear on Micha, in such a short time. The authorities knew their condition, since regular check-ups had taken place over the years and still after these check-ups the authorities permitted the Poliakovs to continue to exploit these poor bears in such appalling conditions.

The placement is not permanent

It is not even a permanent placement or a ban on the exploitation of these animals. On the contrary, if Bony and Glasha regain their health, and if the Poliakovs show that they can financially support their veterinary care and the bears minimal survival, then they can return to their infamous jails. They can even replace the bears if they like, since neither their certificate of capacity nor their authorization to reopen their shows has been taken away from them. We are not going to stop there !

Action for faults against the Prefect

Faced with our indisputable images and the opinions of our independent experts, and after the action of the Minister of Ecology, the authorities have chosen to do the minimum. We therefore maintain our requests, because if the trainers have shown their failure to ensure the protection of animals, the Prefect has done so too: They are the guarantor of their protection. We have therefore just filed a new appeal against the Prefect for misconduct, and requested € 50,000 in damages.

We will not give up on the other animals

The other animals must not remain in the hands of the Poliakovs, whom we await the conviction for their acts of cruelty in the criminal part of the file. A dromedary died a few weeks ago and it is impossible to obtain an autopsy, when one is in the context of serious ill-treatment. The body was immediately sent to the incineration plant with the consent of the authorities. And no one mentions the little monkey Mina, nor the horses, ponies and parrots that are barely surviving on their property in no less severe conditions. We will fight to the end for them.

In the area of Maurs, we finish off horses well here

In the area of Maurs, we finish off horses well here
25.11.2019
France
In the area of Maurs, we finish off horses well here
Other campaign or multi-campaigns of One Voice

One of the most important horse fairs in France is the scene of countless acts of violence. The animals who are sold there for meat, often after years of loyal service, are subjected to ill-treatment before being sent to the butcher’s shop. An utter outrage! We are filing a complaint with the association of Les Sans Voix d’Eden and we claim that horses get the status they deserve: that of pets!

They gave everything to humans. Some have spent their lives in the hands of individuals for company and leisure. Many have exhausted themselves in equestrian centres and horse clubs, forced to walk, trot, gallop on command and to jump over obstacles as big as they are terrifying. Many have sweated without flinching and have broken their bones while towing extremely heavy equipment. Others, conversely, still young, have suffered from lack of exercise: they were raised only for meat, and they had to be fattened up. All these horses, whatever their age and their case, are now used up, « at the end of the race » and find themselves on the same path: that of the largest equine fair in France, the Maurs Fair, in Cantal.

Abuse as a reward

It is here that, having become « useless » no longer able to be exploited that they are sold by their « owners » before resuming the road that will lead them to the slaughterhouse. This « event » has been going on for 50 years and our investigation in 2006 revealed the unbearable condition of horses, mares, fillies, foals and also donkeys, passing through this town. After sacrificing themselves, all their lives, these animals are not only sent to death by the very people they served, but even worse, abused! A new survey by the association Les Sans Voix d’Eden shows that nothing has changed in more than a decade and that the cruelty still continues at this gathering!

The last whack, just for the road

Video documentation had been filmed on October 24th, shows that some equine keepers still engage in repeated acts of gratuitous violence. Crowded one on top of the other, after exhausting journeys of hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, the exhausted, thirsty, frightened, jostled, sometimes injured and untreated victims also receive … unjustified beatings on the spine, the belly, the head! Kids, sticks, canes, feet… everything is good to add to their state of stress and suffering before their final trip.

Give thanks to the horses!

It’s revolting! We cannot allow these devoted and sensitive animals to be brutalized without the slightest consideration or gratitude. They are subjected to real ill-treatment while for them the death knell sounds … while sellers and buyers get rich on the backs of these poor animals! To put an end to this scandal, we are seizing the matter legally and filing a complaint with Les Sans Voix d´Eden for acts of cruelty to animals.

Furthermore, we are claiming pet status for horses so that these faithful companions of humans are better protected from their drifts, just like dogs and cats. No more horse will end up butchering to be eaten, this will greatly limit their exploitation. Help us in this fight by signing our petition!

Chicco gets the Fur Free Retailer label!

Chicco gets the Fur Free Retailer label!
21.11.2019
France
Chicco gets the Fur Free Retailer label!
Fashion

Chicco, an Italian brand dedicated to the entire world of babies, has long banned the use of animal fur, but goes even further by signing a formal, fur-free commitment with LAV and the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition. One Voice is the French representative.

The brand, which has always paid great attention to the materials used in the production and creation of its baby and children’s clothing collections – from 0 to 8 years – confirms its commitment to promote sustainable fashion by complying with the standards of Fur Free Retailer and Animal Free Fashion programs and reinforces its decision not to use animal fur.

Chicco’s signature is the result of the brand’s interaction with LAV, as the Italian representative of the Fur Free Alliance International network. This reinforces the sense of responsibility that drives the brand to disseminate and promote respect for the principles of welfare and animal welfare, in accordance with its own mission and DNA, to be « wherever there is a child ».

Joh Vinding, President of Fur Free Alliance, says, « We are delighted to welcome Chicco as a Fur Free Retailer partner. With the support of companies like Chicco, caring for future generations, the absence of fur will be the new standard in the fashion industry. »

For Muriel Arnal, Founding President of One Voice, « To see Chicco join us for a fashion and accessories without fur shows how important the subject is at all levels. The awareness of the damage from this industry on the planet and the biodiversity as well as on health is profound. »

Simone Pavesi, LAV Manager – Animal Free Fashion, adds: « It’s good to know that Chicco has joined our program, as the signing of a well-established brand like Chicco can only emphasize the importance of fur-free fashion. »

Mr. Orseniga, sales manager for Chicco’s fashion and retail sector, concludes: « With this signing, Chicco confirms the brand’s long-standing commitment and we hope this will help promote a positive attitude and more consciousness within the fashion industry about animals and their well-being. »

More and more major international brands are signing up, proof of a profound change in society. These two labels, Fur Free Retailer and Animal Free Fashion are developed in France by One Voice.

Sticky trap hunting: Is the public rapporteur finally on the side of birds?

Sticky trap hunting: Is the public rapporteur finally on the side of birds?
19.11.2019
France
Sticky trap hunting: Is the public rapporteur finally on the side of birds?
Wildlife

Wednesday, November 20th, 2019 will mark a turning point – hopefully, decisive – against hunting with glue, cruelly trapping small birds by this method which prevents them from escaping free, forces them to panic, injure themselves or even die. Never before had this happened: the public rapporteur is preparing to conclude the referral of all ministerial decrees on the hunt with glue, which we attacked at the State Council in 2018. Before this it was the court of justice of the European Union, and for that, it takes up the argument that we had developed against the decrees of 2019.

Unsurprisingly, the public rapporteur confirms in his conclusions the suspension of the decree on the extension of the 2019 wild geese hunting season by asking for its cancellation once and for all. So obviously, we absolutely do not prejudge the final decision of the judges of the State Council, but the function of the public rapporteur is to indicate to them the ins and outs of the appeals and to advise them on a direction.

Coincidence?

At the same time as we filed the appeals on the 2019 decrees, the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition expressly asked all the Prefects concerned to carry out checks on the quotas of birds hunted. Why? Because we asked for proof that the birds hunted are in small quantities, since this is what the ministry claims… How many, where, when and which birds are trapped, which ones are released? Since we are told that the traps are selective, the minimum would be to be based on facts! And to say that the defenders of the planet and of animals are often considered at best as just dreamers, at worst as ridiculous ultra-sensitive… But as soon as we demand accountability, we realize that there is none! Who is rational in history?

The interest of hunters is not the general interest

Biodiversity is depleted, birds disappear while they are part of the common heritage of Humanity. The interest of hunters has for too long been confused with the general interest, namely the conservation of our heritage, and therefore of the individuals who compose it. The fact that the European Commission has given France formal notice confirms the non-selectiveness of the glue hunting, as well as the lack of supervision and control by the authorities, which gives us good hope for a probable end to the glue hunting in the medium term. Even more so (other « traditional » hunts, the lengthening of the duration of the hunting of wild geese, etc)!

We await with determination the audience of Wednesday, November 20th and the decision that will follow for glue hunting and that of wild geese, as well as the repercussions of the formal notice of France by the European Commission, a procedure in will failure be triggered? For the other traditional hunts such as that of the falling wire traps, netting on land and on the lakes, we will continue to systematically attack those arrested and who have targeted small birds.

When the birds fall from the sky

When the birds fall from the sky
15.11.2019
France
When the birds fall from the sky
Natural habitat

From the skies of our countryside and cities, birds are disappearing everywhere. Dying from hunger, under a hail of bullets or from hunting with glue, what else remains for them, hope? For each of them, we will fight to the end.

Birds are disappearing everywhere. This phenomenon is general, it spares neither birds from the cities, nor from the countryside. 421 million birds have disappeared in less than 30 years in Europe and 73% of Parisian sparrows in 13 years.

The causes are multiple and cumulative: phytosanitary products, the disappearance of insects, sites where to nest and climate change… As if that were not enough, they must also face so-called managers of nature, those who seem to above all want to eradicate all in their path.

In Deux-Sèvres, partridges are in very poor condition, with eight birds missing from ten. Yes, partridges, the very ones that are supposedly well managed by hunters. Having to endure the local shoots and then the reintroduction to the countryside of these birds by means of the hunters efficient breeding schemes…

Irresponsible right up to the end of a rifle

And some speak of « responsible » hunting? But where is the responsibility when one takes to the forests that are deserted by walkers with a gun in hand to shoot all that moves? And of course, there have been mistakes made – damage to a protected species (dogs, cats and even residents who dared to go out into their gardens have been targeted)! Where is the responsibility when we release weakened, fattened animals, who have been selected to be easy prey? Where is the responsibility when using ancestral methods that blindly trap or kill? Where is the responsibility when a bird from a migratory species, has be reintroduced or protected in another country, only to be slaughtered while crossing ours?

Concerning responsibility, well there is obviously none when you see the disappearance of species. And what is left? A bloodthirsty leisure activity which desperately tries to justify its killings when its country’s population is largely opposed to it.

All for one and one for all

So, for all the bird victims, we chose the path of appeal, because a single bird killed by hunting is a bird that will be missing, an individual who had the right to live. For each and every one of them, we will go all the way. And not one case in law through the courts is to be feared in case of failure.

In France, the courts and tribunals are not bound by their previous decisions, but a new act of law can be opposed in a new case. So, nothing to fear then, quite the contrary, for those whom we will protect and continue to fight for without stopping. And since the State Council seems to have taken the side of the hunters by dismissing our requests, it is before the European Commission that they will have to justify their actions!

We will be on November 20th at 2 p.m. be Infront of the State Council for our appeal to the merits concerning these orders of cruel traditional hunts (using glue, etc.) which trap and injure, even kill, blackbirds, thrushes, and many ‘other little birds. We will also be there to cancel the ministerial order authorizing the killing of wild geese during February, while they are crossing our skies and are in full migration. At the beginning of February, we had obtained the suspension of this order.

Letter to Elisabeth Borne, Minister of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition

Letter to Elisabeth Borne, Minister of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition
14.11.2019
Letter to Elisabeth Borne, Minister of the Ecological and Inclusive Transition

Dear Madam Minister,

We know your interest in the cause for animals which was expressed in particular through your involvement concerning the bear Micha.

This is why, we would like to bring to your attention the major dysfunctions of the veterinary inspection services of the departmental directorates of social cohesion and population protection (DDCSPP) in terms of animal protection.

The death of Micha, on November 12th within the La Tanière zoo-refuge in which he had been placed in September 2019, is unfortunate proof of this.

Indeed, in the case of Micha as in the case of the elephant Maya, the lion Elyo (Nale) or even the hippopotamus Jumbo, the inspection reports of the DDCSPP did not raise any breaches of regulations that were in force or danger concerning animal welfare.

For these four individuals, as for many others, we must wait until our association mandates independent veterinary experts and publishes images from these investigations before the alarm bells are sounded.

Elyo was legally detained in a circus under intolerable conditions. It is only after the filing of our complaint for acts of cruelty, that the public prosecutor of Dunkirk had mandated a veterinarian to inspect the animal. The report is final, Elyo is in physical and psychological suffering. However, our complaint will be dismissed by the prosecutor, forcing us to summon the defendants to appear in court.

Maya, was exploited for 40 years in a circus and was released in 2018 after years of fighting led by our association. After reading the unanimous reports from six independent specialists mandated by the association, the Prefecture of Lot-et-Garonne finally agrees to mandate an independent investigation which leads to the same conclusions as our experts.

Maya lived in conditions unsuitable for her age, her needs and in violation of the legislation in force.

Another iconic example is Jumbo, the hippopotamus that we still fight for today. The veterinary services of the DDCSPP consider that the living conditions for this hippo are in full compliance with legislation. On the contrary, following our complaints, both ONCFS agents and our experts demonstrate that the animal’s physiological and biological needs are not being met.

These examples highlight the failings of the official veterinary services to identify and put an end to situations of proven animal abuse.

DDCSPP inspections today consist only of a summary verification of the animal’s sanitary conditions. These animal protection services do not fulfil their missions.

Such failures leave situations of lawlessness in France, where not only the regulations in force are not respected, but where wild animals, protected on a national, European and world scale lead to suffering and mistreatment which can lead to their death.

This is why our association calls for an end to the exploitation of wild animals in circuses. In the meantime, we ask you to take measures to put an end to these failings. These measures could consist of:

The creation of an independent authority responsible for the control of establishments holding captive wild animals and capable of removing animals in the event of serious breach of the legislation in force.

The urgent establishment of a network of independent veterinary experts specialized in the different species and read to mobilize within 48 hours after their referral, to organize a controlled visit of establishments and the removal of animals where necessary.

The involvement in emergency procedures of specialist veterinarians appointed by the applicant associations.

Our association is of course willing to provide its expertise on this subject and remains at the disposal of your Ministry for any appointment it wishes to grant.

Thank you for the attention you have paid to this letter, we ask you to believe, Madam Minister, in the assurance of our consideration.

Muriel Arnal
Présidente de One Voice