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  • 3 weeks later...

WELL!  Little did I know when I posted my initial enquiry, that a hornet's nest would ensue.

I am here not because of cheap prices, etc. We actually had an idyllic Wye valley existence in UK that was superior to anything I've seen here, yet, including my abode now, that's bells n 'whistles!!!  We came because of the quality of life here, the lovely people, who continue to be most welcoming, etc.  And yes, the deterioration of UK.

 

However, as a member of the EU that France strives to maintain, I am FULLY entitled to be here, and to speak up if I perceive wrongdoing.  And someone letting off a firearm recklessly without due care is NOT acceptable in anyone's country.  My loved ones, including pets, are entitled, as is my property, to be safe from harm.  If certain factions joining this particular forum can't grasp that without resorting to generalisations and crass and offensive remarks, perhaps THEY shouldn't be here, as all the french AND other nationalities I know here wouldn't want to be associated with them!!

There seems to be an accepted opinion here among some that the Brits are an ever increasing invasion force.  I'm sure (given the nature of this forum!) there is someone out there that can properly confirm that, actually, it's about a 50-50 two way street of French in UK to UK here, of movemnet of people.  The difference is that mainly young go-getting French are taking up (NOT away or off) employ in UK, whilst the likes of me are here without employ, adding to the economy, etc.

As a final footnote, for those with strong stomaches, are any of you aware of the practise in the Indian ocean -french colonies areas, by fishermen, of the practise of using live bait in the form of cats and dogs, tied up and hooked through the snout, to catch shark.  Now if any of you want to go on the RSPCA site and add your voice to get the French government to stamp that out, be you tree-huggers or whatever, PLEASE don't hold back.

many thanks for all you helpful coments.

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It was under the Pets section as it concerned domestic animals...  It could as you suggest be under Hunting or "Leisure".  Perhaps we could start a "Depravity" section!

Thank you Celtic Lady for bringing this subject up again.  Last Sunday on "30 Millions d'Amis" they showed a court case concerning one of these "pecheurs", so it is getting somewhere.  I think he got three months prison "avec sursis" and an amende.

They also remarked that it is not all the fishermen in general, but certain people only (as in the hunting here).  Someone who comes from the Réunion told us that shark meat is not eaten there and therefore this activity, using live bait such as dogs and cats, is for "sport" only.  Whether this can be confirmed or not I do not know, but we cannot condemn all the fishermen there, only the ones who tarnish their image .

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May I make a plea that you take some extra care when giving to animal welfare/rights groups to be absolutely sure that you approve of how your money is being spent ?

Since the activities of the animal rights campaigners at the guineau pig farm in Staffordshire which I regard as going well beyond what I approve of I have been very careful about giving money to animal welfare groups.

I presume that this is harder to do in France, but it all too easy to give money to animal welfare in a general way without being sure what the money is actually being used for.

Hoddy

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You are quite right Hoddy.  There was a scandal concerning the SPA Gennevilliers a while back.  Something terribly shocking, shown on French television, was the poor people months after the tsunami with nowehere to live, while the money given to certain organizations to help them was blocked making interest on their bank accounts.

More for the depravity section...

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It depends what type of organisations Hoddy - all the associations that I have on my links pages for conservation, wildlife,  animal welfare & rescue I consider to be reputable as far as I can tell.   

For the record I am a member of the following associations:   LPO,   Vienne Nature, WWF France,  ASPAS,  SPA.   Indirectly I am associated with Poitou-Charentes Nature and France Nature & Environnement.

I wish I could post the latest list I recieved today of all the recent legal actions taken by ASPAS for infractions of the law. Many concern killing protected species - Eagles, Owls etc. Hunting out of season. Using prohibited means to kill or capture - and a real classic - using a bulldozer to make a track for hunters 4x4's THROUGH A REGISTERED REFUGE.

Incidents of a similar nature occur everywhere, there are continuing problems in the UK with the destruction of birds of prey, dog fighting and cock fighting. None of these illegal activities will cease overnight, but if everyone stays silent they will never change. The laws on hunting in France are probably the most liberal in Europe, there should be no need or excuse for anyone to break them.

Best,  Chris

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Of course animal protection laws should be enforced, but I don’t particularly regard this is as the business of animal protection organizations.

I have no problem in donating to groups in favour of animal welfare and rescue organizations. What bothers me is that in the UK at least, some organizations masquerade as “ordinary” welfare groups, when in fact they are some of the more shadowy ones. Earlier this year in Oxford Street I engaged in conversation two people who were behind a stall which gave the impression that they were from the League Against Cruel Sports which I regard as a perfectly legitimate organization. They didn’t like my questions which I thought were relatively innocuous and they came from behind the stall and stood too close to me and answered in a very threatening manner. I am a little old lady and had given no cause for this sort of behaviour and when I looked closely they were not genuinely from the League Against Cruel Sports. If I can be taken in even for a short time in my native language then I realize that it would be much easier to be fooled in French so I suppose what I was looking for was the aims of the various groups. Thanks for your website in that regard.

When giving money to an organization that wishes to change the law I want to know that I agree that the law needs changing and with the methods they will use in their attempt to effect the change.

Thanks again.

Hoddy

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From today's Dépêche du Midi

Grand Sud

Article paru le 14/10/2005

LAURAGAIS. UN AGRICULTEUR DE SAINT-FÉLIX-LAURAGAIS SUCCOMBE À UN COUP DE FUSIL.

Un chasseur tué au cours d'une battue

Un drame de la chasse s'est noué mardi, en fin de journée, sur les flancs de la Montagne Noire audoise, entre Peyrens, Issel et Les Crozes. En fin de journée, alors que la battue touchait à sa fin, Christian Cathala, 55 ans, de Saint-Félix-Lauragais, était atteint d'une balle mortelle, qui l'aurait frappé en pleine gorge. Cet agriculteur, domicilié à Saint-Félix-de-Lauragais, marié et père d'une fille, devait fêter son cinquante-cinquième anniversaire le 6 novembre prochain. Hier, la gendarmerie a entendu plusieurs témoins avant de reconstituer les faits sur place pour tenter de comprendre les raisons du drame. Quatre chasseurs participaient à cette battue au sanglier organisée par la société de chasse d'Issel. D'après les premiers éléments de l'enquête, il semble que toutes les conditions réglementaires nécessaires à l'organisation d'une battue au sanglier n'étaient pas réunies. L'heure d'abord. Une battue doit en effet être terminée au moment du coucher du soleil. Or, les faits se seraient déroulés quelques minutes après l'heure légale. Les autres anomalies concernent le nombre de chasseurs présents (ils n'étaient que quatre au lieu des sept prévus dans les textes), la tenue aléatoire du carnet de battue et l'absence de protections individuelles réfléchissantes. Hier soir, le tireur présumé, qui a reconnu être l'auteur du coup de feu fatal, était en garde à vue dans les locaux de la gendarmerie de Castelnaudary de même que l'un des organisateurs de la battue. Aujourd'hui, une information judiciaire devrait être ouverte, tandis que le tireur présumé devrait être présenté au parquet.

A FARMER OF SAINT-FÉLIX-LAURAGAIS SUCCUMBS TO A RIFLE SHOT.

A hunter killed during a beat. A hunting drama took place at the end of Tuesday, on the sides of the Mountagnes Noires Black between Peyrens, Issel and Crozes. At the end of the day, as the beat neared its end, Christian Cathala, 55, of Saint-Félix-Lauragais, was fatally shot it the throat. This married farmer, from Saint-Felix-of-Lauragais and father of a little girl, was due to celebrate his fifty-fifth birthday on 6 November. Yesterday, the gendarmerie heard several witnesses before organising a reconstruction at the spot to try to understand what lead to the drama. Four hunters had taken part in this wild boar beat organized by the Issel hunt. According to the basic first investigation, it transpired that the necessary legal conditions of an organised wild boar beat had not been met. The legal sunset endtime was not respected. Indeed, the accident appears to have taken place a few minutes after sunset. The other irregularities relate to the number of hunters present (they were only four instead of the seven required in legal texts), the incomplete and random records entered in the beat notebook and the absence of individual reflective clothing. Yesterday evening, the alleged gunman, who has admitted firing the fatal shot, was in police custody at the Castelnaudary gendarmerie, as was one of the beat organizers. The inquest should open today.

With apologies for the hurried translation.

Clair
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This foggy morning, on our daily walk, we encountered roaming hunting dogs and hunters with guns hidden in the mists. We have no problem with hunting providing the kill is eaten. We do have a problem with hunters using our land (6ha) without informing us they will be there. We take our dogs with us, they are pointers and have great fun snouting out smells and chasing Hares etc. The risks are obvious and not ones we should be subjected too. Is the only option to ban hunting on our land? Do the hunting rules state that land owners should be informed of any planned hunt? Also, if we do ban hunting on our land do we have to fence it all off? Many thanks

Steve
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  • 3 months later...

Debra,  Can you qualify whether this is an ACCA or a private chasse or what exactly that you have there?  If it is an ACCA the president has no power to put up signs without going through the correct procedure with the Prefecture and registering it.  I know of many people with ACCA land who have spoken politely to the president and have received negative results. In fact the president has little control over people outside of his "group" who wish to go shooting.

Either way, I am pleased that things are working out for you.

Chris

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Sorry Chris, but I have no idea!  We were simply introduced to him by a local maire as the president of the hunting federation and the man to speak to regarding hunting in this area.  He did say that he could control the organised hunting groups and make sure that didn't happen on our land but that the signs would be needed in order to stop other, independent hunters.  He said the land would be a 'reserve' and 'chasse interdite' signs put up every 50 metres.  He may be going through the correct procedure - but he's doing it, there was no mention of any need to do anything on our part. We're not really expecting it to be that easy but feel happy we've at least made the first steps without upsetting anybody.  I'll keep you posted as to whether it actually happens!
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