Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Can anyone give more information of the 19,000,000 (nineteen million) euro aid package for French Zoos, recently announced by the French Government...?
French Zoo Funding
- Thread starter Andrew Swales
- Start date
This article gives lots of information: Le soutien du gouvernement aux zoos et aux cirques irrite les défenseurs des animaux
Seeing as it's in French, I will translate:
Animal rights defenders are frustrated by the French government's support of zoos and circuses
In response to Coronavirus, the French government has decided to give over 19 million euros to zoos, animal rescue centres and certain circuses for the duration of lockdown.
The government has reinforced its support for zoos, animal rescue centres and family circuses during the lockdown, unblocking new money, a decision hailed by the latter establishments but criticised by animal rights associations.
Among the stipulations of the crisis budget voted on Friday night by the National Assembly in order to confront Covid-19 is included 'financial reinforcement of 19 million euros to the zoos, circuses and animal rescue centres offering food and medical help to the animals'. This was indicated by the Action ministers of ecological transition and agriculture in a communication.
The services of the government regarding animal welfare will 'remain vigilant as to the degradation of the situation of the animals in captivity', they specified.
'We can only be very happy, and we are waiting to see how it will be applied', said Paul de La Panouse, the founder of the Zoo de Thoiry. 'It is certain that Thoiry, housing thousands of animals, who we feed without any funds and recipes,' he added, 'It is a difficult situation'.
'It's great, because it's true that it is a healt crisis for humans but also for animals. We are relying on our savings', added on his side William Kerwich, the director of the circus Royal Kerwich. 'We are worried about our ability to stay afloat through this.'
Hailed by the interested parties, these supporting measures have led to criticism from animal rights associations. 'Yes, as an urgent measure,' accepted the president of the SPA (Society of protection of animals) Jacques-Charles Fombonne, 'because otherwise they will have living conditions which are even more deplorable.' But, he adds, 'the question of circuses must be asked'.
The animal rights association Paris Animaux Zoopolis (Paz) indicated that the new measures were scandalous.
'Under the pretence of animal welfare, the government is massively subsidising circuses with animals, zoos and wild animal rescue centres', complained its president Amandine Sanvisens.
In response to Covid, the government has already put in place watch-posts and a local app to help establishments to find food, shelter and help for the animals, and so that they can benefit from the economic help offered by the government.
Might be a bit inaccurate because my French is slightly rusty, but hopefully it gives a gist of what is going on. Sadly it doesn't say very much about the financial support itself, but it does elaborate slightly. Unsurprising reaction from animal rights activists.
Seeing as it's in French, I will translate:
Animal rights defenders are frustrated by the French government's support of zoos and circuses
In response to Coronavirus, the French government has decided to give over 19 million euros to zoos, animal rescue centres and certain circuses for the duration of lockdown.
The government has reinforced its support for zoos, animal rescue centres and family circuses during the lockdown, unblocking new money, a decision hailed by the latter establishments but criticised by animal rights associations.
Among the stipulations of the crisis budget voted on Friday night by the National Assembly in order to confront Covid-19 is included 'financial reinforcement of 19 million euros to the zoos, circuses and animal rescue centres offering food and medical help to the animals'. This was indicated by the Action ministers of ecological transition and agriculture in a communication.
The services of the government regarding animal welfare will 'remain vigilant as to the degradation of the situation of the animals in captivity', they specified.
'We can only be very happy, and we are waiting to see how it will be applied', said Paul de La Panouse, the founder of the Zoo de Thoiry. 'It is certain that Thoiry, housing thousands of animals, who we feed without any funds and recipes,' he added, 'It is a difficult situation'.
'It's great, because it's true that it is a healt crisis for humans but also for animals. We are relying on our savings', added on his side William Kerwich, the director of the circus Royal Kerwich. 'We are worried about our ability to stay afloat through this.'
Hailed by the interested parties, these supporting measures have led to criticism from animal rights associations. 'Yes, as an urgent measure,' accepted the president of the SPA (Society of protection of animals) Jacques-Charles Fombonne, 'because otherwise they will have living conditions which are even more deplorable.' But, he adds, 'the question of circuses must be asked'.
The animal rights association Paris Animaux Zoopolis (Paz) indicated that the new measures were scandalous.
'Under the pretence of animal welfare, the government is massively subsidising circuses with animals, zoos and wild animal rescue centres', complained its president Amandine Sanvisens.
In response to Covid, the government has already put in place watch-posts and a local app to help establishments to find food, shelter and help for the animals, and so that they can benefit from the economic help offered by the government.
Might be a bit inaccurate because my French is slightly rusty, but hopefully it gives a gist of what is going on. Sadly it doesn't say very much about the financial support itself, but it does elaborate slightly. Unsurprising reaction from animal rights activists.
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Thank you A-L, all useful information...
I would say use and abuse for BIAZA and non BIAZA zoos to remind their Govt. that the world does not stop at business, but includes education, culture and natural parks/zoos.
Mind you: the German effort being promised from Berlin State coffers is somewhat more generous (rumoured over 100 mio Euro).
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
It does look as though this is some kind of 'welfare package' and not really a wider one - which makes the opposition of the animal 'rights' organisations even more ironic!
I am sending daily (almost!) links to our MP and his parliamentary secretary, in the hope that something eventually 'gives' in the UK, where of course less than one third of licensed zoos are actually members of BIAZA.
A crumb of comfort is that even if the UK Government (by default or inaction) closes some or even most UK zoos, it does look as though there will be places to take our animals - and maybe even employ some of our staff, and educate some of our visitors - even if in the years to come they have to learn some French, or Czech or German...
I am sending daily (almost!) links to our MP and his parliamentary secretary, in the hope that something eventually 'gives' in the UK, where of course less than one third of licensed zoos are actually members of BIAZA.
A crumb of comfort is that even if the UK Government (by default or inaction) closes some or even most UK zoos, it does look as though there will be places to take our animals - and maybe even employ some of our staff, and educate some of our visitors - even if in the years to come they have to learn some French, or Czech or German...
The latter would - in my opinion - show up the current Govt. for what it really is.
(But for all my UK friends I sincerely hope I may be wrong)
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Yes - we do too...!
As the help packages come in from one country after another, the UK position becomes more and more isolated. Unfortunately, as it does so it becomes clearer and clearer that they do not plan to help.
This isolates them from not only much of the rest of the World, but from their public too. The media is generally only interested in bad news, as we have seen from the BBC recently; or fluffy animal stories with no content. Our position is complicated by the historic and embarrassing profligacy of some of the sector, but I suppose that this is the case World-wide and not just here.
They will be shamed (and I use the word again, despite previous criticisms for doing so) one way or the other in the end.
Sadly, it would be better all round if they realised there was less to lose (if nothing more positive) by acting sooner, rather than not at all.