a transfer of the sow to an animal training company for the cinema? The associations are opposed to it

The Rillette affair never ends. At the end of December, the public prosecutor of Troyes gave formal notice to the owner of the sow, Élodie Cappé, to entrust her to a company specializing in the training of animals for the cinema. The associations are crying scandal.

For several weeks, the sow Rillette has been talked about everywhere in the media. In 2023, Élodie Cappé took her in when she was just a wild boar. Since then, the animal has been threatened with euthanasia and its owner is fighting to keep it in her home.

The letter was sent on December 27 to Élodie Cappé. The public prosecutor of Troyes ordered the transfer of Rillette to Muriel Bec, in Loiret, whose activity is to breed and train wild animals for the world of cinema and advertising. The letter remained unanswered. For the owner of the sow, this is the last straw: “It's shameful. Do you realize they want to send him there for financial gain? That's out of the question. My back is pretty strong.” she castigates.

The Troyes public prosecutor's office believes that this is the best solution: “The establishment is authorized to keep five wild boars and has one vacant place. Madame Bec is in favor of welcoming, concerned about the living conditions of the animal which will maintain contact with humans, and facilitator if necessary for the logistical organization of the transfer, while obviously putting in place all the necessary health provisions.”

La Chaourçoise, for its part, can count on the support of the 30 Million Friends Foundation: “Although the Foundation does not encourage the keeping of non-domestic animals by individuals, it nevertheless believes that common sense and empathy must prevail over administrative and judicial blindness.

For the co-founder of the PAZ association (Projet Animaux Zoopolis), this placement within the Animal Contact company is a masquerade: “Muriel Bec is a business manager, animals in captivity are her business, she is not at all in animal protection”protests Amandine Sanvisens. According to her, Rillette would not get used to this new way of life: “She would already lose the emotional bond she has with her owner, she would not have the same living conditions. She would be surrounded by other animals, she would have less space. She would also be transported to filming locations, it's an upheaval and uprooting that she couldn't bear.”. She adds that the use of wild animals should be prohibited by law, as will soon be the case in circuses. And Élodie Cappé concludes: “ Today, there is no need for animals in films. Synthetic images are enough.”

Élodie Cappé recalls that the three requests made to the Troyes public prosecutor remained unanswered. “I think Madam Prosecutor doesn't like animals.”. For her part, the magistrate underlines in the letter of December 27, 2024 that “lhe State services are strongly mobilized to find a regularization solution consisting of handing over the wild boar that you hold to an adapted structure that respects the well-being of the animal, corresponding to the 'rational solution' that you also hope for. .”

A white march is organized by the Chaource merchants' association on Saturday January 11 at 2 p.m. to support Élodie. Before a hearing at the Châlons-en-Champagne administrative court on Monday January 13.