Le Figaro Nantes
After the pigeons, the hawks. The medieval town of Guérande, in Loire-Atlantique, is once again in the crosshairs of the animal protection association PAZ. The first time, accused of using
“cruel”
methods to fight against liminal animals, she opted for a contraceptive dovecote. This time, she is selected for falconry shows planned for the medieval festivals of June 1 and 2. Nearly 40,000 people are expected for this edition designed around the
“marriage of Joan of Navarre and John IV of Brittany”
. In this context, professionals from a park located in Hautes-Pyrénées will come and present their birds of prey. This program did not escape Paris Animaux Zoopolis, which recently listed all the medieval festivals in France.
“We concluded that in 2023, 100 (out of 300) were still using wild animals
,” worries Amandine Sanvisens, the co-founder of the association committed to the interests of all animals. However, in 2028,
“in itinerant establishments, the detention, transport and shows including species of non-domestic animals, including birds of prey and parrots, will be prohibited.”
In anticipation,
“we ask elected officials not to passively wait for the law against animal abuse to come into force and to begin the exit from animal captivity now by ceasing to program numbers with wild animals,”
demands the activist.
“Well-functioning process”
In this context, she contacted the municipality in October to alert them, while the program was not yet finalized. On April 2, she contacted them again by email, without obtaining a response. Three days later, a press release was sent to the editorial offices, announcing a petition with
“more than 13,000 signatures for the end of wild animals at the Medieval Festival of Guérande”
.
Faced with this
“well-established process”
which is not entirely to the taste of the town of Guérande, it is through the press that the latter has decided to respond. The priority of the renowned event organized since 1999 is
“the historical and cultural dimension”
, says the municipality. Secondly, the objective remains to offer a
“quality celebration to the public”
, while
“obviously”
taking into account respect for animals.
“The Guérandais are very sensitive to the well-being of animals. They are also sensitive to programming
.
“Everywhere we go, it’s always the same scenario
,” sighs Valéry Marche, master falconer and director of the Madiran Raptor Park, to whom Guérande called.
“Come meet me
,” he offers, as he does every time he is attacked.
“Provided that they are people who have knowledge of the environmental code. What legal power do they have other than being influencers?
, he is indignant about these detractors who want to
“destroy our jobs and animals”
. At this rate, we are heading towards the disappearance of pony clubs, he points out.
I have authorization from the Ministry of the Environment
Valéry Marche, boss of the Madiran raptor park, expected in Guérande in June
“I have authorization from the Ministry of the Environment
,” continues Valéry Marche, very affable. When it comes in June,
“the idea is to inform people about the preservation of species, about reproduction in captivity, about observation to better protect them”
. He defends himself:
“we are far from the torturers. We must stop firing bullets at falconers, on the contrary they do everything to ensure that the animals are in the best conditions
. He assures that it is thanks to captivity that certain species have been able to be preserved and insists on new training methods based on animal welfare.
“We are no longer in the feudal era.”
Moreover,
in
2028, he does not intend to stop the shows. It will continue to offer educational activities in France. Unlike a show that runs continuously, the birds of prey return to the park each time.
For her part, Amandine Sanvisens, who maintains on the contrary that it is indeed a traveling show, does not understand how an animal can be in captivity.
“When we show raptors attached to stakes, in an environment that is not theirs, when we force them to fly from point A to point B, that’s submission
. ”
“We are fighting to teach children that we must protect animals, that their place is in the sky to fly, in their wild environment
,” she argues, deploring a deprivation of freedom.
“We should go and do activities in the environments of birds of prey, watch them with binoculars
,” she advocates before raising a social problem.
“What relationship do we want with animals today?”
asks the spokesperson, who also wants to change the way people view rats in a positive way.
“It is a political association which is placed on a philosophical level. With people who are convinced that they are right”
, criticizes the city of Guérande, castigating a petition
“signed by very few Guérandais”
. For PAZ,
“of course, we do not know who signed but we are in a societal debate and everyone has the right to have an opinion”
. In the meantime, it is the quiet town of Guérande and the manager of a park who are bearing the costs of this debate on the ground.