The Normandy region, the first region to no longer subsidize wild animal exhibitions

The Normandy region will no longer subsidize exhibitions with wild animals starting this year, France Bleu Normandie announced on Monday, March 25. This is counting on the Animal Cruelty Act, which will come into effect in 2028. The county’s elected officials have decided that the measure will apply to predator demonstrations at medieval gatherings this year.

For Nathalie Porte, vice-president responsible for tourism and attractiveness of the region, it is not a question of stopping funding because of animal cruelty, but also “putting public money into an event that does not require the use of wild animals”.

The medieval ones of Falaise and Pontorson were particularly relevant

The decision of the Normandy region relates in particular to the medieval events in Falaise or the Pontorsonnades of Pontorson in Manche, where raptor demonstrations were organized in the summer of 2023. At Bayeux in Calvados these falconry demonstrations were stopped “since 2017”, according to the representative responsible for culture in Bayeux David Lemaresquier. According to him, it is about restoring the program because it exists “Lots and tons of ways to create a live show”.

Morbihan-based falconer Nicolas Ferrari was due to present eight raptors at the Harcourt and Rouen festivals this summer. He condemns “dogmatic ideology”. “We are accused of things that are not accurate” starting with the qualification of wild animals. “These are all captive bred and born animals that we don’t intend to introduce into the wild.” In 2023, 22% of medieval festivals in Normandy included falconry shows.