Will the little squawking of canaries and other parakeets on Île de la Cité (4th century) soon be over?
In any case, the future of the bird market which animates the area around the police headquarters every Sunday seems to be in jeopardy.
At the next Paris Council which opens on Tuesday, the municipal majority in Paris should adopt a wish starting a process of closing the site.
The town hall wishes to take advantage of the next flower market renovation project to record the disappearance of the few bird merchants who settle under the halls of this site every weekend.
A victory for animal rights activists
For several months now, the very active Paris Animaux Zoopolis association has been putting pressure on the City to have this bird sale space “a vestige of another time” banned.
These animal advocates believe that birds should not be considered a commodity.
“Selecting and organizing the reproduction of animals for profit, outright negates the interests of animals,” insists PAZ.
Outraged enthusiasts
But where these defenders of the animal cause see animal trafficking and mistreatment, Issam Akrouti, the president of the Lutetian ornithological circle, answers "passion".
“These activists and environmentalists present us as poachers and talk about animal abuse, but we are passionate.
We take care of our birds, we love them.
And we don't breed protected species!
»Issam annoys.
“Of course, we shouldn't lock wild birds in cages, but our canaries and parakeets wouldn't survive two days if we released them into the wild!
», Insists this entrepreneur.
“This fight is a bit like that of Parisian bobos against rurality: they want to cut man off from contact with animals.
Of course, animal welfare must be protected, but if the birds are often presented in small cages on the market, they live in aviaries or even roam free in apartments and their cages only serve as a "room".
So after the animals, what will we ban?
The cats ?
Dogs ?
“Asks Pierre Channoy, president of the Union Ornithologique de France.
Gérard Outters, the boss of the association of friends of the Paris bird market which brings together bird breeders, is worried about the eventual disappearance of this atypical market: "we must safeguard this picturesque heritage of the City. de Paris which has existed since 1860. There is only one bird and flower market on our planet and it is in Paris!
"
The majority are determined to suppress the market
Arguments that do not seem to be able to convince the elected representatives of the Parisian majority while the law on animal abuse is under discussion in the National Assembly.
“This bird market has been in decline and dysfunction for 20 years.
We met the various players and it turned out that the situation has been rife for years.
Many offenses were noted and sanctioned on the spot such as the sale of protected species, sales to dubious origins… ”lists Ariel Weil, the mayor (PS) of Paris Center.
Not to mention the presence of many untitled street vendors.
"Out of 13 authorized sellers less than 7 come regularly," insists the elected official.
For the mayor of Paris Center, mass is said: the bird market must disappear.
"We will look at how we can support traders towards a professional retraining", assures Christophe Najdovski, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of the greening of the public space and the animal condition.
