The Brest public prosecutor's office on Friday April 1 requested fines of up to 50,000 euros against three companies in the veal sector and an employee, prosecuted for ill-treatment of animals, but also against the association L214 which had broadcast a video showing this ill-treatment.
Recognizing the difficulty "
of avoiding a social debate
" in this case, the public prosecutor Isabelle Johanny noted that the veal sector existed "
because there is a demand
".
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On the other hand, in an allusion to the association for the defense of animals, she felt that "
there had to be people kicking the anthill sometimes to get things moving.
".
"
On each side, it's neither all white nor all black
", she finally estimated.
Against the dairy calf sorting center of the Ouest Élevage company, a subsidiary of the Laïta dairy (Even group), the representative of the public prosecutor requested a fine of 50,000 euros, considering that she could "
not not know
” that the animals were being abused.
Kicks
Against the employee of this center located in Ploudaniel (Finistère), who appeared in particular in the video kicking calves in the head, the prosecution requested a fine of 750 euros.
Against the Gaec de Restparcou and Scea Jestin farms, whose representatives did not recognize the facts, the prosecution demanded a fine of 20,000 euros for each, including 10,000 suspended.
“
I treat my animals very well, it would not be in my interest not to treat them well
”, defended herself at the helm Perrine Le Gall, of Gaec de Restparcou.
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The prosecution demanded against Sébastien Arsac, director of investigations of L214, prosecuted for "
home
invasion " and "
invasion of privacy
", a fine of 3,000 euros, and 10,000 euros on the against the association he co-founded for broadcasting the video.
In this one, we saw young calves being manhandled with kicks and punches, locked in very small enclosures or even being euthanized because they were sick or too thin.
“
This is a fairly crucial trial for the continuation of our activities, but I am quite confident that this right to inform will be recognized
,” Sébastien Arsac told the press.
The deliberation will be delivered on June 3.
