Animal protection law in France bans cockfighting and bullfighting. At the same time, it authorises them in regions where they are “traditional”. One Voice protests against this schizophrenic situation, passing on many demands for this law to be changed.
Article 521-1 of the French Criminal Code condemns “acts of cruelty and serious mistreatment of animals". There is an inconsistency in the law that allows bullfighting to continue in certain regions of the South of France. In fact, paragraph 3 of this article, completed by articles R 654-1 and R 655-1 (law of 24th April 1951), introduced tolerance in favour of shows involving bulls “when an unbroken local tradition may be claimed”. In Northern France, this type of cruelty leaves those involved open to criminal sanctions.
For a fair application of the law
Shows involving bulls, whether the Camargue or Landes runs, or especially bullfighting, are practices left over from the XIXth century, condemned by the law. There is no derogation for this practice, even if it is called traditional, and One Voice feels that it is equally contemptible whether in Northern or Southern France. The association is supported by many demands for a revision of this law, to ensure it is fairly applied.
Demands for a revision of the law
One Voice is accompanied by more and more people from the medical, association and even political worlds who are asking public authorities to vote on a new law. Therefore, two French MPs –Muriel Marland-Militello and Marc Roubaud- have tabled a new draft law in the French parliament, intended to “ban all acts of cruelty towards domestic or other animals, or those held in captivity, like to be carried out when an unbroken local tradition can be claimed”. A group of doctors and psychologists sent the President of the French Republic a report highlighting the risks to the mental health of children when confronted by these shows. In this report, they recommend a ban on bullfighting for children under 16. This position is supported by One Voice. But the association is also demanding a ban on shows involving bulls because of their violence and the suffering they inflict on animals (bulls and horses).
“(…) We do not regulate torture. We abolish it". Gérard Charollois, magistrate, president of the Convention vie et Nature pour une écologie radicale
Extract from a text by Professor Albert Jacquard sent to be read during the extraordinary session of Monday 24th November 2003 to the European Court for Animal Rights :
“To ensure respect for animals, a French law bans cockfighting and bullfighting. Nevertheless, there is an extra paragraph which authorises these spectacles in communes where they are part of "local traditions". How can legislators both condemn an activity that is considered as contrary to ethics and then give in to force of habit ? Should we allow husbands to beat their wives in towns and villages where this has always happened ?
The law’s role is not to tolerate events but to move them on in the right direction".
