Jumbo the hippopotamus will remain in its circus in Bourg-de-Péage, in the Drôme. Justice has decided. On Wednesday, the Valence Criminal Court issued its decision, finding that the 35-year-old animal was not subjected to "ill-treatment" from its owners. Edmond Muller and his son Franck, both of whom were prosecuted by the animal rights association One Voice, were in fact released.
On the other hand, they were found guilty of "keeping a captive animal in an environment that could cause suffering" and "using an inappropriate form of detention for the care of a tamed or captive wild animal" as well as offense of "irregular operation of an establishment holding non-domestic animals".
Towards an Appeal Trial
For these “failures and failures”, noted during inspections carried out between February 2018 and February 2019, the father and the son will have to pay a fine of 5,500 euros, of which 4,000 are suspended, and 2,500 euros, respectively.
“We are going to appeal the acquittal because we want Jumbo to get out of there. It must be placed in a refuge or a sanctuary, "said Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, who had filed a complaint in 2017.
In addition to its action before the criminal justice system, the association recalled that it was planning an appeal after being dismissed by the Grenoble administrative court in November. One Voice had requested on the one hand the cancellation of the decree of the prefect of Drôme authorizing since 2008 the presentation of the animal to the public and on the other hand its transfer to a sanctuary or zoological park.
Planet
Valence: Jumbo the hippopotamus at the heart of a legal battle
Justice
Grenoble: Jumbo, the hippopotamus remains in its circus for the moment
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