A festive day that turns to tragedy.
Three dogs died after being poisoned this Sunday, March 12, during the final of the French canicross championship (running in the company of a dog) which was held in Vauvert in the Gard.
A fourth is in serious condition.
"
It's a strong emotion, a mixture of sadness and anger
," said the Fédération des Sports et Loisirs Canins (FSLC) in a Facebook post after the tragedy which unfolded around 7:30 a.m. shortly before the launch. of the race.
These poisonings would be linked to "
a slug product contained in meatballs scattered along the sports course
", reports France 3 Occitanie.
"Abject criminal act"
The three dogs would have died fifteen minutes after ingesting one of these pellets, despite the intervention of a veterinarian on site.
The fourth animal is still between life and death, "
having only sniffed the vomit of other dogs
", specifies Yvon Lasbleiz, the president of the FSLC to the local media.
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For the Federation, the criminal character is beyond doubt: "
We have a thought for the dogs who left us following an abject criminal act
", she wrote.
“
I don't know if this person realizes his act.
When you see what it did to the dogs, imagine if a child had approached these pellets
, ”he protested to France 3.
Investigation opened by the Nîmes prosecutor's office
"
The most beautiful dog's party is ruined...
", lamented the FSLC.
The event, which was originally supposed to take place in a festive atmosphere, finally had to be canceled, said the town hall of Vauvert on Facebook.
The latter added in her post that the competition area is prohibited from access by a “
municipal decree during the investigation
”.
Gendarmes from the Vauvert brigade (Gard) and members of the scientific police made the trip.
Several dumplings were picked up, "
without the exact number being known
", informs France 3. Several people were interviewed and the corpses of the four-legged animals will be autopsied in Lyon.
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The FSLC, the local association Canicross30 and the town hall of Vauvert filed a complaint.
The Nîmes public prosecutor's office was seized of the case.
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