Pet owners can rest assured that the new coronavirus is spread from person to person. Their hairballs therefore cannot transmit the disease (based on current knowledge). And the same goes for non-domestic animals. The fate of these, however, worries readers of 20 Minutes:
“I have a few animals (dwarf goats, dwarf sheep and a pony) on a plot of land about 1 km from our home. Despite the new traffic rules, I have to go and feed these animals, right? »Ravet
“I have horses on board. The owner of this pension does not take them out ... Do I have the right to go there at least twice a week to take them out for an hour in the pasture? »Corinne
“Is the transport of an animal between breeders by a transporter authorized? »Mary
“I am a member of a beekeepers association. Do I have the right to go to my apiary? »Patrice
Here are the answers that 20 Minutes found:
It is true that the situation of owners of non-domestic animals (horses, donkeys, sheep, bees, etc.) is ambiguous. They are in fact criminally responsible for the well-being of their animal, and could be accused of mistreatment if they did not feed them, for example. However, in the context of confinement, if it is possible to make a brief movement related to the needs of pets, nothing is said about non-domestic animals. Because, no matter how much we consider his donkey or his horse as members of the family, they nonetheless remain productive animals, that is to say that they are intended to produce foodstuffs. And if you are caught by the patrol, it is a fine of 135 euros, 200 euros in the event of a repeat offense, or even a prison sentence or community service.
An essential trip to feed the animal. On the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, a few paragraphs tackle the question: “Equestrian centers and stud farms are closed to the public. A horse in pension must be fed by the employees of the pension.
If the animal is in the meadow and usually fed by its owner, the latter must as far as possible have his horse fed by the neighbors of the pasture, if the latter is not near the home. If movement is essential to feed the animal, it is necessary to have the derogatory movement certificate. We can assume that this exception also concerns goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys…
For its part, on its Facebook page, the French League for the Protection of Horses (LFPC) recommends that the owner move in possession of the animal's identification booklet and, if possible, any other document proving that the animal is well in the destination meadow. In his eyes, this displacement is "justified by the imperative need to care for a living being" and "constitutes a cause of irresponsibility vis-à-vis the offense". And to quote article 122-7 of the Penal Code: “Is not criminally responsible the person who, faced with a current or imminent danger that threatens himself, others or property, performs an act necessary for the safeguard of the person or property, unless there is a disproportion between the means employed and the seriousness of the threat. "
Animal welfare, a compelling reason. Arguments that are taken up by the Ministry of Agriculture, if we carefully browse its page dedicated to questions and answers on the Covid-19. It is thus written: “In general, non-professional transport is strictly supervised and possible only over very short distances. It is therefore not possible to transport, as an individual, his horses, unless there is a compelling reason, for animal welfare. "
“Thus, if the stake of this displacement is animal protection, in particular in the event of lack of food, the displacement can be organized with the following regulatory documents: the attestation of declaration of the place of detention of equines, the documents of 'identification of horses, and certificate of derogatory movement. "
A little further, in the section on health security and professional sectors, it is recalled that "confinement concerns men, not animals". And that "moving the hives is an integral part of the work of beekeepers". However,
"Respect the biosecurity rules between the people operating these transports".
Our file on containment
To summarize, in terms of animal welfare, if you are not a professional owner of non-domestic animals, it is possible to go beyond confinement to go feed them, but always provided with official documents.
In all cases, we advise you to contact your prefecture or your veterinarian.
So that you can see more clearly, 20 Minutes is trying to answer your questions, which you can send us by following the procedure below. And don't forget to leave your email. Thank you in advance (and take care of yourself)!
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