It is a story that had moved a good part of France. In September 2019, the videos shot by the animal protection association One Voice had made it possible to denounce the appalling conditions of detention of three bears in the Loir-et-Cher. La Tanière, a zoo refuge in the process of being set up at the gates of Chartres, had been able to accommodate one of them (Mischa), in a degraded state, with multiple injuries and a lung problem. Despite the care, he died in November. Images that had reacted to the Ministry of Ecological Transition which had prohibited its presentation to the public.
This Wednesday, the Blois court released the trainer Alexandre Poliakov on charges of "serious abuse or act of cruelty to animals," we learned from the court. Accused of mistreatment, in particular towards bears, by several associations for the defense of animals, the trainer was nevertheless sentenced to four months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 150 euros, in particular for "unauthorized opening of an establishment holding animals not domestic "and" operation of establishment keeping animals of non-domestic species without certificate of competence ".
Based in Chauvigny-du-Perche (Loir-et-Cher), the trainer is also found guilty "of the head of keeping in captivity of a non-domestic animal of a protected species without having carried out its identification".
In addition, the court "notes the prescription of the public action of the contravention of placement or maintenance of tamed or captive wild animal in a habitat, environment or installation which could be a cause of suffering between" January 2016 and October 2019.
Outraged associations
The magistrates did not follow the requisitions of the Public Prosecutor's Office, which had required a one month suspended prison sentence against the trainer, four months firm against the trainer, the prohibition also to keep animals.
In the meantime, the two other bears (Bony and Glasha) had also been taken from the Poliakov couple.
One is still at the Arche refuge in Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne, while the other is in Germany, recalls France Bleu.
A decision that emanated from the Prefecture of Loir-et-Cher after the observation of several injuries.
"In total, the couple who performed in traveling shows and also had a breeding activity, held 17 non-domestic animals (parrots and monkeys) in unsanitary buildings," recalls the New Republic.
Read alsoAfter the bear Mischa, "we must save Glasha and Bony"
Several animal rights associations were civil parties in this case. Among these, One Voice has announced that it intends to appeal. “Our investigators took all the risks to show the reality of the conditions of detention (…). Today, nothing has changed for the animals illegally held by circus trainers. In other words: we can therefore mistreat in peace in France. And this, although a bear is dead. We, One Voice, are appealing. Does France really protect wild animals? ", Said the president of One Voice, Muriel Arnal, in a press release.
Veterinary check-ups carried out after One Voice's report showed that the bears suffered from dental lesions and an eye tumor was detected on the Glasha bear. A third bear (Mischa), belonging to the trainer, had died during anesthesia during a medical examination linked to a very poor state of health.