Anti-wolf action: Rural Coordination places a dead sheep and an injured sheep on Boulevard de Mende

A badly injured sheep is tied up in front of the Café du Commerce, in Mende. Midi Libre – Anaïs Da Silva

Following an attack which occurred this Saturday July 6, 2024, in Laval-du-Tarn, an action is being carried out on Boulevard Henri-Bourrillon opposite the Café du Commerce, in Mende, this Monday 8 ;nbsp;July, late afternoon.

This Monday, July 8, 2024, around 5:30 p.m., an action was carried out, Boulevard Henri-Bourrillon, in Mende following an attack which took place in Laval-du-Tarn, this Saturday, July 6, 2024. "A wolf attacked a flock of 75 sheep. Ten of them died and 28 were very seriously injured", details Damien Bouquet, co-president of Rural Coordination (CR48).

A dead sheep and a seriously injured one in front of the Café du Commerce

A dead sheep was left on the pedestrian crossing, boulevard Henri-Bourrillon. Midi Libre – Anaïs Da Silva

A dead sheep was placed on one of the two traffic lanes of Boulevard Henri-Bourrillon, while a second, seriously injured sheep was tied to a tree opposite. "It doesn’not seem to shock people. They drink on the terrace as if it were normal. No one questions why or how, laments Damien Bouquet.

"No initiative for euthanasia"

The French Biodiversity Office (OFB) carried out autopsies earlier today. A veterinarian, for his part, came to the scene, in Laval du Tarn, but the latter "did not take the initiative to euthanize the suffering and seriously injured sheep, says the co-president of the Rural Coordination. The veterinarian indicated that they will need to be treated for around two weeks. It adds extra work. But not only that, some animals will be dead by then!"

To show "animal welfare", about ten people gathered earlier in the ;afternoon. They went to the Departmental Directorate of Lozère Territories at 2:15 p.m. then went to the Region. In the meantime, some of them spoke with the prefect, Philippe Castanet, about defensive shooting to protect sheep but also cattle: "This situation is aberrant!" indicated the breeders present

The prefect made aware of defensive shootings

The State representative notified the competent authorities to quickly obtain a shooting authorization to protect the herds of sheep but also of cattle on the same farm : " The National Wolf Plan does not provide for this scenario. I am going to ask the coordinator to authorize me to extend this defensive shooting to the attacked herds. The request is legitimate."