Document type : dossier on the Vie Publique website
Author: Vie Publique Editorial
Preview: Having spent centuries confined to a Cartesian man-machine relationship, French opinion on the relationship between humans and animals has undergone an evolving process of change in recent years with the recognition of greater rights for animals. Since 2015, the French Code Civil has given them the status of sentient beings, providing them with greater legal protection.
Key measures are the introduction of legal certification for those acquiring pets, of stricter penalties in the event of abuse, the forthcoming abolition of dolphinariums in 2026 and a ban on wild animals in travelling circuses in 2028. The French Parliamentary Act of 30 November 2021 also makes provision for a certain number of measures to combat animal abuse.
Against this background, Vie-publique.fr is returning to the issue of animal welfare in France and Europe.
Topics covered by the Protection Animale en France dossier:
- Changes in the legal status of animals
- Legal punishments for animal abuse
- The Act of 30 November 2021: a big step forward
Animal protection in Europe and around the world
- European law
- Other international examples
Animal welfare: a growing concern
- The issue of abattoirs
- Towards the end of the cage for hens?
Changes in the relationship between humans and animals
