Info Flash N° 15

October 2014


Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 is a registered association (W852002671/SIRET 538 773 193 00015) for the protection of animals. Often called simply NALA we have members of many nationalities but mainly English and French.

We were set up in September 2010 and since then have placed about 215 animals, mainly cats, with loving, new owners. We have obtained the French equivalent of charitable status so that donations are tax-deductible.


Top stories for this month :

  • Change of course NALA 85480
  • Catkiller in Bournezeau
  • Eyes wide open
  • A little hello from our adoptees
  • Pictorial visit of the NALA Summer Fair
  • Programme 2014
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Change Of Course NALA 85480


On the 10th of September 2014, Nala 85480 (Nala for short) celebrated its 4th birthday. Nala was founded at the request of a mayor to save a dog from euthanasia and to put him up for adoption.
Since then, to date the association has successfully placed 215 animals (mainly cats, a few dogs, two sheep, a rabbit, some birds and a chicken) into loving and responsible homes. In doing so we have learned a lot about the system of how to deal with stray animals in France, the legislation, the way this legislation is respected, or rather not respected, the importance of identification and sterilisation…. We are convinced that in order to help animals in the long term it is better to work on preventative measures, but the practical work of saving animals takes so much time and energy that we never get enough time to work on prevention. Nala's 4th birthday was an occasion to change course and make some changes. For this and many more other reasons we have decided to stop the animal adoption side of Nala and to continue mainly with:
  • giving advice to people to enable them to keep their pets (healthy and safe)
  • our subsidies program for the sterilisation and identification of cats
  • giving financial help to people with little money for sterilisation, identification or in case of an expensive operation for their cat ….
  • handing in complaints for the mistreatment of (stray) animals
  • helping people to prepare and hand in their own complaints if their animal has been mistreated/killed by someone
  • report cases of mistreatment to the authorities/bigger associations
  • public affairs (e.g. letters to mayors, the “préfecture”, “conseil general”, ministry, Parliament, European Union) / lobby to improve the system for dealing with stray animals in France
  • collection of statistics of found animals in the Vendée (registers)
  • the enquiry into the disappearance of cats in certain area's
  • the project of obligatory sterilisation of cats in France (example Belgium)
  • information and campaigns to propagate awareness of the need for sterilisation and identification
  • any other issues/developments that are brought to our attention and that we feel require us to take action (demonstrations/petitions...)
Please note!
We often receive phone calls from the whole of the Vendée and the neighbouring departments from people who have found a stray animal and want us to take care of it for them. We can't do that: the code rural is quite clear and states that the mayor is responsible for all stray animals. Some people are reluctant to take an animal to the mayor because they are afraid that it will not be well treated or may even be put down. That is, of course, illegal as domestic animals are protected under French law and anyone who kills or harms a domestic animal risks prosecution. We suggest to those people who have doubts to tell us when they take the animal to the Town Hall and we, along with the DDPP (Direction Départementale de la Protection des Populations), will monitor the situation.

___________________________________________________________________________________________
Catkiller In Bournezeau



Imbala, Beko and 3 more at the least have been targeted with bullets in Bournezeau.... 

When NALA was first founded, one of our major worries was the disappearance of 12 cats in Bournezeau over a very short period. We informed the town hall and the police. In spite of traces having been left, no-one was able to identify the killer. For a while peace reigned, until  the 13 th of September, when we received an email from a member of NALA 85480 informing us that their one year old cat, Imbala, had been shot  Thursday 11/09/2014 in broad daylight near the town centre of Bournezeau.

Early in the afternoon, their neighbour had found Imbala in his garden, paralysed at the rear end and screaming in agony. She was rushed to the vet. When the vet shaved her back to see the wound, he discovered a nice, round hole! X-rays provided the proof: the cat had a bullet in its spine. Imbala is now back home after a major operation in Nantes. She is slowly recovering.

Obviously, Impala’s family has lodged a formal complaint at the police station. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated case of a cat being injured recently in Bournezeau. About 10 days previously, according to the vet, another cat had been shot in the commune. Moreover, Beko, the neighbour’s cat, which had disappeared for a few days, was found limping and very thin. The veterinary surgeon found a bullet lodged in the abdomen.
According to an article in Ouest France there are 3 more cats who have been aimed to be shot at the least: http://www.ouest-france.fr/fait-divers-bournezeau-des-chats-vises-par-des-tirs-larme-de-poing-2836918

The police force has begun an inquest, the Town Hall has been informed and the family has put up notices in the town so that everyone is aware of the stupidity of the human race, even more so when someone is shooting at cats right in the town centre, putting everyone at risk.

The association Nala 85480 has decided that it too will send a complaint to the public prosecutor for Imbala and Beko and, with other animal protection associations, we are planning a march on 25 October in the centre of Bournezeau in memory of the many cats lost, killed, trapped, shot and poisoned in Bournezeau and throughout the Vendée. 

If you too have lost your pet (cat or dog) in Bournezeau, or if you have any information relevant to this case, please send us an email to nala85480@hotmail.com. 

An event has been created on facebook. Any news on this case will be published there: 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Eyes Wide Open


We've been running NALA for just over 4 years now and it's been an enlightening experience. It's certainly taught us a lot and brought us into contact with many interesting people. It's also given us a couple of "What the heck?" and shake head in disbelief moments.

One such moment was the discovery that torturing and mistreating animals is a crime... except when it's a tradition. It's perhaps hard to believe but in the 21st Century and in a west European country, bull fighting and cock fighting can still legally take place in France if there is an uninterrupted tradition. What is even more amazing is that cock fighting was banned in France from 1850 and then permitted again in 1966. It's hard to imagine a more striking example of progress being reversed. (if you want to know more about cockfighting in France you can look here where you can also sign the petition: Stop Cockfighting in France) 

The relevant law is article 521-1 of the penal code and there have been a number of attempts to get it modified as the vast majority of French people disapprove of these "entertainments". They have so far come to naught, probably because there is a lot of money at stake. Surprisingly, it's not the income from the bull fights themselves: attendances at the arenas are falling and most events require a subsidy from the public purse at town, regional and even European level.

Although bull fighting is illegal in 24 of the EU member states, the three countries where it is legal receive subsidies from the European Union. Hard figures are difficult to come by, but breeders of bulls for bullfights in Spain are estimated to receive nearly 130 million/year as farm subsidies. However, in early September the Environment Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament voted to end subsidies for the raising and training of bulls for bull fights. As I write this, the proposal still has to be passed by the plenary session of the European Parliament.

As well as action at the highest political levels, there are also local protests. What is quite shocking is the level of violence... from the supporters of bull fighting and the police. To see what I mean, Google Rassemblement anti corrida arène rodilhan 08.10.11 and Action Anti-Corrida à Maubourguet on Vimeo. It's interesting that whereas we speak of the forces of law and order, the corresponding French expression is the forces of order. It seems to make a difference!!!

And talking of order... we have a number of cute lap and bed warmers available just in time for the wet and miserable season. One particularly fine example is Coco, a beautiful and very cuddly female cat with semi-long hair. Coco is 4 and a half years old and fostered in the commune of Les Essarts. 
For information on how to adopt Coco please call 06 52 60 08 84 or send an e-mail to nala85480@hotmail.com 



Coco

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The Other Bedwarmers Looking For a Good Home



for more information please have a look on the page  animaux à adopter


___________________________________________________________________________________________

A Little Hello From Our Adoptees

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Pictorial Visit of the NALA Summer Fair 



You'll find other pictures on the page Fête d'été 2014


_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Programme NALA 2014

Saturday 25 October 

* Demonstration "Stop the Killing", 3 PM Place de la Mairie at Bournezeau

Saturday 25 October

* Pub Quiz in French

starts at 7.30 PM, Bar Le Clémenceau, 26 Rue Clémenceau, Mouilleron en Pareds. 

Maximum of 6 persons per group. Participation   € 2.50 per person. Tapas and drinks available ate the bar.  

Saturday 6 December 

* Nala will have a Stand at the X-mas fair at Beaulieu sous la Roche

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Come and join Nala; together we are stronger!

   
photo lunapic_136775552142051_12.gif

For those of you who haven't yet renewed their membership, please fill in the form here

Or if you want to call us first for information: Tel nr. 07 70 31 54 59 or email nala85480@hotmail.com


© NALA 85480, October 2014, Bournezeau 
Tél.  07 70 31 54 59
Mail nala85480@hotmail.com 
Nala Bournezeau sur facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002135097263
Le site: www.nosamislesanimaux.com