The animal rights association L214 pinned on Thursday in a video the collection of poultry and denounced an example of animal suffering.

French law already recognizes the sensitive nature of animals, but associations are waiting for more rules to better regulate farms.

DECRYPTION

The conditions of animal husbandry, often industrial, continue to cause controversy in France.

Latest episode to date: the publication on Thursday of a video by the animal rights association L214.

Its subject is the profession of poultry collector and aims to denounce in particular the suffering suffered by these animals.

If French law already recognizes their sensitivity, new legal provisions are awaited by militant movements to act more effectively against their mistreatment.

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The Civil Code has recognized the sensitivity of animals since 2015

The name of the association L214 comes from an article of the rural code which mentions the character of sentient beings of animals.

Since 2015, the Civil Code has also recognized that animals are not furniture, but living beings endowed with sensitivity and emotions.

Like other militant movements and whistleblowers, L214 hopes for new rules to frame and sanction more strongly the practices denounced.

Despite its recognition, the sensitivity of animals is not sufficiently respected, as the association regularly shows.

Admittedly, a 2018 law improved the lot of farm animals, but a new bill should strengthen it.

However, it is slow to be voted.

This notably provides for the ban on the breeding of animals for fur, a measure defended by 84% of the French, the ban on animal shows in circuses and dolphinariums, or the end of hunting. run and traditional.

Factory farming will have to be completely overhauled in order to keep only practices compatible with respecting the biological requirements of animals and eliminate cage farming.

Towards an evolution of sanctions

Thanks to this new law, soon to be examined by the National Assembly therefore, the sanctions for the practices denounced by L214 could also evolve.

For the moment, it is the rural code, and not the penal code, which punishes the inappropriate behavior of breeders by sentencing to six months in prison and a 7,500 euros fine for all mistreatment of animals.

Demands want the new law to increase the penalty to one year in prison and a fine of 20,000 euros.