The black panther they illegally detained was frolicking on the roofs: in the North of France, two people called to the stand

The images did not fail to arouse the curiosity – and sometimes fear – of Internet users and residents of Armentières (North). In September 2019, a black panther was photographed strolling across the city's rooftops.

The two former owners of the animal will be judged starting this Thursday, January 9: they are being prosecuted for “unauthorized possession of a non-domestic species”.

At the time, several passers-by who spotted the feline on top of houses contacted law enforcement. A security perimeter around the buildings had to be established. The panther was finally trapped inside a home. When it was captured, its owner was not present on site, but he presented himself to the police station, recall our colleagues from France 3 Hauts-de-France.

A feline sanctuary

The animal had been removed from its enclosure, although it had just been placed at the Maubeuge zoo. The authorities lost track of him for a year. He will eventually be found in a sanctuary dedicated to felines in the Netherlands. The site managers explained that it was a couple who, in 2020, brought them the feline, explaining that it had “very low muscle mass”.

In this case, the two defendants risk up to three years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros. The One Voice association, specializing in the protection of animal rights, has become a civil party.