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Court decides: Abandoned wild boar stays with owner
A French court rules in favor of an animal lover: the adopted pig Rillette is allowed to stay with her owner, despite threats from authorities with euthanasia. A victory for animal welfare!
Court decides: Abandoned wild boar stays with owner
A wild boar, that of a French Horse breeder was adopted can stay with its owner. A court decided this on Thursday after threats from the authorities to remove or even euthanize the animal sparked storms of protest.
Rillette – from trash to a loyal companion
In April 2023, “Rillette” was found as a tiny piglet near garbage cans on Elodie Cappe's horse farm in Chaource, France. The animal has now developed into a large farmer's wife with bristly, brown fur who can run around among the horses and dogs on the farm and enjoys cuddling with her owners.
Overcoming regulatory obstacles
After initial attempts to release the wild boar back into the wild failed, Cappe had Rillette sterilized and vaccinated, provided a protected area and applied several times to the regional prefecture for permission to keep a wild animal. However, all requests were rejected while local authorities threatened to confiscate or euthanize the animal. In addition, Cappe faced possible prison sentences and fines of up to 150,000 euros ($154,000) for "capturing or detaining wild animals."
Protests and support for Rillette
The case sparked outrage among animal rights activists, making headlines and leading to a petition and a local demonstration. Even film icon Brigitte Bardot appealed for Rillette to be left on the farm.
Court ruling and consequences for the owner
In a ruling published Thursday, the Chalons-en-Champagne administrative court ordered the prefecture to review the application to keep the animal and ordered the state to pay 1,500 euros ($1,545) in damages to the pig's owner. "This is a great victory; the court has really rejected the prefecture's arguments. The media exposure has made a crucial difference," Cappe said, adding that she would donate the damages to a charity.
Rillette remains unimpressed
Cappe noted that Rillette — humorously named after a local dish made from shredded pork — remains unfazed by the news. "She just plays, she doesn't care. She's one of us," she said.