the essentials Naturalist Pierre Rigaux shared a video on social networks on September 26 which triggered the opening of an investigation. In the images, we see hunters killing ducks to train their dogs.
A video showing ducks being propelled into the air and killed to be used for training hunting dogs at a Meuse club has led to the opening of an investigation, the Bar-le-Duc prosecutor’s office announced on Wednesday. . The naturalist Pierre Rigaux, founder of the association “Nos Viventia” (We the living), shared a video on social networks on September 26, in a blurred version, announcing the filing of a complaint. “We have not received any complaints at this stage,” indicated the public prosecutor of Bar-le-Duc, Sofian Saboulard. But the magistrate opened an investigation, entrusted to the Commercy gendarmerie company, “for possible identification of a criminal offense”.
Regulations prohibit violence against animals in captivity, which could be the case with these ducks. In the video, a car brings crates filled with ducks. They are taken out to be placed in devices which are used to propel them into the air.
“As soon as the duck is propelled, a hunter will shoot it”
Others are thrown by hand by a hunter. “As soon as the duck is propelled, a hunter will shoot it,” comments Pierre Rigaux. These images, filmed at the edge of a private pond in Vigneulles-lès-Hâttonchatel (Meuse) at the end of September during an event organized by the Retriever Club de France (RCF), sparked indignation on social networks. Dying ducks are shown on the screen. Then the dogs intervene to “come and get the ducks”, says Pierre Rigaux. He in turn intervenes in the video, on the last day of the event, to ask the hunters if they still kill animals during these weekends. “Now we work with bringables,” plastic lures, assures one of them, anonymized in the video. Which is false, insists Pierre Rigaux, with supporting images.
Royal Cann must explain
The controversy spread to the pet food brand Royal Canin France, whose logo appeared at the event. “We do not sponsor any hunting-related activities,” the company said in a statement. “The Retriever Club de France claims not to have a partnership contract linking it with the companies Royal Canin” and Purina Proplan, whose logo also appeared on the event panels, reacted on social networks the president of the RCF, Bruno Facq. “The organizer, aware of the errors made during the demonstration, resigned, and sanctions will be taken, in compliance with the statutes and regulations,” he continued.
