Rouens. Lion and tiger sanctuary found guilty of improper exploitation
Through Mathieu Normand
Published on
The court of Rouen (Seine Maritime) rendered its decision on Monday January 9, 2023:Tiger caress associationits president Zdravko Pesut and his company Brigitte Klimond, were found guilty ofirregular exploitation of their refuge hosting tigers and lions in Arelaune-en-Seine.
The hearing was held in November 2022 after two complaints from the association Acting for living things and wild species (Aves) filed in 2019, then in 2020. The couple was notably accused of having opened their establishment without authorization to welcome the public, charging to visit or pet a lion cub.
18,000 euros suspended fine
The association was sentenced to a suspended fine of 8,000 euros. Zdravko Pesut receives a suspended fine of 4,000 euros. The court also imposed 5,000 euros and 1,000 euros in fines against Brigitte Klimond, who was however acquitted of the acts of unauthorized transfer for two lion cubs.
18,000 euros in suspended fines are therefore requested in total. This decision means that the couple’s money does not go to legal costs to the detriment of the 14 tigers and lions of which he still has custody.
No compensation for associations
At the November hearing, it had been shown that the couple had not personally enriched themselves with these visits and that there was no question of animal trafficking. Charges of ill-treatment and endangering the lives of others had also been dismissed by the courts.
The court also declared inadmissible the constitution as civil parties of the associations Aves, One voice and Robin des bois. A surprise for the president of Aves, Christophe Coret, present during the hearing: “We are satisfied since the association has been found guilty, but we worked for a long time on this file, we put money to be able to carry out this investigation and provide information to the administration. Everything we’ve done is completely wasted. »
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