Document type written answer published in theJournal Officiel of the French Republic
Authors: question: Mme Anne-Laurence Petel (Renaissance - Bouches-du-Rhône). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty
Question: Ms Anne-Laurence Petel draws the attention of the Secretary of State to the Minister for Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion responsible for Ecology, to the ban on the exploitation of domestic animals in traveling shows. The Law of November 30, 2021 to combat animal abuse and strengthen the bond between animals and humans enshrined a ban in the French Environment Code on the keeping and showing of wild animals in traveling establishments from December 1, 2028. The length of the legislative lead time is unprecedented in the preservation of animal welfare. Notwithstanding this legislation, domestic animals can still be exploited in traveling shows. In such shows, animals are trained to perform tricks - in other words, to adopt behaviors whose purpose they cannot understand - in stressful surroundings containing loud noises and bright lights. What is more, just like wild animals, companion animals experience a degree of fatigue due to the transport conditions and frequent movements involved in this type of show. Exploiting domestic animals in traveling shows also involves a form of suffering. Currently, the sole aim of such exploitation is to generate commercial profits on the back of entertainment. As commercial entertainment alone cannot justify animal suffering, she would like to know whether the Government intends to continue the legislative momentum initiated by the Law of November 30, 2021, by also prohibiting the exploitation of domestic animals in traveling shows.
Answer: Travelling establishments that keep domestic species of animals are subject to the animal protection rules of the Code rural et de la pêche maritime applicable to livestock and/or companion animals, according to the species concerned. There are no specific regulations for this type of establishment, and there are currently no plans to legislate on the subject. As some travelling establishments travel through several European Union (EU) Member States, the transport rules applied to them must at least be harmonized across the EU. France will be careful to ensure that the European Commission, when revising the regulations on animal welfare, particularly during transport, includes specific provisions tailored to the very particular nature of animal transport by circuses.
