The parakeets caged on the Île de la Cité on Sunday will soon be a thing of the past: the Paris Council ratified the closing of the bird market on Wednesday February 3 Parisian, invoking “Malfunctions” and responding to requests from animal rights activists who denounced a “Vestige of another time”.
“It has been observed for several years” that this market, located on Place Louis-Lépine near the famous flower market, “Had become the epicenter of bird trafficking in Ile-de-France”, assured Christophe Najdovski, deputy mayor of Paris in charge of the animal condition, during the debates. “However, despite a certain number of actions carried out, this trafficking continues today”.
“We undertake to modify the regulations”
The bird presentation conditions are “Unacceptable in view of the animal welfare conditions required today”, he added. “This is why we are committed to changing the bylaw to prohibit the sale of birds and other animals during the renovation »Of the annex flower market.
The traders concerned will be supported during the transitional period during which control operations will be reinforced. According to the mayor of central Paris, Ariel Weil, out of the twelve remaining traders, “Ten still sell birds, even small animals or other products. “
A petition calling for the site to be closed was launched in January
The association for the defense of animals, PAZ (Paris Animaux Zoopolis) launched a petition in early January to demand the closure of the site, which has collected more than 2,400 signatures.
“Imprisoning birds is cruel and archaic”, underlined the association. “Upstream of the bird market, it is breeding and in some cases illegal capture that are encouraged. “
In 2013, an investigation by the National Hunting and Wildlife Office (ONCFS) led to the arrest of seven people in the market and the seizure of 46 goldfinches, highly prized for the quality of their song and whose price could reach 150 €.
A bill on animal abuse adopted in January
The issue of animal protection and welfare has been an issue for several years in the public debate, in particular at the rate of videos, sometimes raw, distributed by associations for the defense of animals.
In 2019, the city of Paris made a commitment to no longer give “No authorization” installation from 2020 to circuses that would present shows with wild animals.
At the end of January, a bill aimed at combating animal abuse was adopted almost unanimously in the National Assembly.
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