The manager of an animal park in the Tarn, from where nine wolves had escaped from an enclosure in December, appeared on Tuesday July 5 before the court of Castres to answer for previous offenses, including the detention of animals. non-domestic species without authorization.
The Trois Vallées zoo, in Montredon-Labessionnié, was closed by prefectural decision on December 22, 2021, three days after nine wolves escaped from their enclosure.
Four of them had to be shot.
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The manager, Sauveur Ferrara, and three capacity managers appeared on Tuesday in a trial postponed several times, relating to offenses observed between 2013 and 2017, such as the irregular operation of this type of establishment, and the deprivation of food or animal watering.
In his indictment, Freddy Marta, deputy prosecutor of Castres, declared that
"there is clearly a structural lack of security"
in this zoo, judging
"a strong message"
necessary .
He requested against the manager Sauveur Ferrara six months in prison suspended and 10,000 euros fine.
Regarding the capacity, he asked for a three-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 5,000 euros against Sébastien Muller, 2,000 euros in
Sauveur Ferrara's lawyer, Françoise Mathe, pleaded for his release, denouncing, on the sidelines of the hearing, a
"chaotic file"
and
"errors"
of the prosecution.
She specified that she was asking for
"the release of all offences"
considering that fines are prescribed, that
"offences are not at all characterized"
or that
"the safety of staff, the public and the welfare of animals"
are based on
"the responsibility of the capacity holder and not of the manager, who is an investor, the one who provides the means"
.
“He has invested more than 15 million euros in six years.
We cannot say that he did not give the capacity (...) the means to implement what was necessary
, ”she told an AFP correspondent.
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At the hearing, which ended very late in the evening, several civil parties were represented, including the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, as well as the France Nature Environnement and Stéphane Lamart associations for the defense of animal rights.
The lawyer for the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, Catherine Pons-Fournier, considered that the manager was
"completely responsible"
, arguing that
"the regulations are not absolutely applied, the malfunctions are diverse and varied, and the animals have suffered from it"
.
Judgment was reserved for July 13.
Before that, Sauveur Ferrara is summoned Monday before the Toulouse administrative court about the closure of this 60-hectare zoo.
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