the essential
After months of high tensions within the municipal council and a by-election, the atmosphere is once again tense in the small village of Freychenet, in Ariège. In question, a few cats fed by a resident in a barn belonging to the municipality and made available to her by the mayor… next to the property of his first opposition deputy.
Nothing is ever simple in Freychenet, a small village of 90 inhabitants nestled not far from Lavelanet, in Ariège. For months, dissensions tore the municipal council apart until a municipal by-election which, in November 2023, allowed two opponents of the mayor to become his deputies. And now, after several months of relative calm, tensions resurface, this time around a few ownerless cats.
“There is a problem of public health and tranquility, assures the first deputy Philippe Falcou. A person from the village feeds cats on private plots without the authorization of the owners. The mayor has given him the use of a barn which has become the cats’ dormitory, knowing that in Freychenet there are almost more cats than inhabitants. I blame the mayor for not exercising his police powers.”
Philippe Falcou must recognize it, there is a personal interest in his approach. “This barn is adjoining my property and I have to seal myself off because there are cats everywhere,” says the first deputy.
Stray cats or “free cats”?
Faced with the grievances of his deputy, the mayor of Freychenet, Michel Morereau, expressed a certain perplexity. “These cats don’t pose a problem,” he says. “It’s true that this resident was used to putting bowls everywhere, that’s why I made a communal space available to her . Afterwards, these are cats that have been operated on, chipped, they are free cats, we have the right to feed them.”
This is confirmed by the Ariège prefecture, with some nuances. If it is prohibited to attract or feed animals in a habitual manner when this practice causes unsanitary conditions, on the other hand, “cats identified in the name of a municipality or an association can be fed”. But only at the place of their capture, specifies the prefecture, and on condition that an agreement for this has been signed with an animal protection association. This seems to be the case, the incriminated resident having had these cats sterilized and microchipped by the Lavelanetian association Les Compagnons des animals which, according to our information, has signed such an agreement with the municipality.
“Six cats in total is nothing at all”
Magdalena Kragten therefore does not understand the bad trial against her. It all started several years ago with a neighbor’s cats who fell ill, then others brought in by a campervan.
“Then other cats arrived, which we had sterilized with Animal Companions so that there were not too many cats in the village,” she explains. “I had a place where I I was feeding, but the owner fell ill during Covid and the new owners asked me to move, which I did. Today, it’s six cats in total, it’s nothing at all. . And they are free cats, I have the right to feed them I am for the animals, I will not give up.
“These are six cats which are neither sterilized nor chipped, so they are stray cats,” contests Philippe Falcou, assuring “that in fact there are around ten others.” “All the residents are against,” says the deputy at the end, “the mayor will have to resign himself. And if we have to go further, we will go further.”
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Anxious to resolve the situation, Michel Morereau tried to organize several meetings with an animal protection and captive wildlife inspector, “so that everyone hears what he has to say”, none of which was successful. could have taken place. The last one was to be held on Friday September 28, but also had to be postponed.
“I, as mayor, no longer know what to do,” sighs Michel Morereau. “But if the prefect asks me to no longer feed the cats, I will issue an order immediately.”
