Hugo Clément, Anne-Yvonne Le Dain, SNCF: how the controversy surrounding the dog Mowgli lying on a train got carried away

Mowgli, 8 years old, at the center of a controversy… despite himself. Screenshot X Anne-Yvonne Le Dain.

Sunday, the former socialist deputy for Hérault, Anne-Yvonne Le Dain, expressed her anger, on the social network X, after seeing a dog lying on a train without a muzzle, as required the rule. His "tweet" reached nearly 16 million views and the controversy even made its way onto television sets. Explanations.

"To be taken seriously, we French people who complain all the time but accept everything. Here, a very big dog on the train: no muzzle, but it's MANDATORY (for those). The controllers just before, nada! Neither do the passengers". On Sunday, former Hérault MP Anne-Yvonne Le Dain shared her anger on social networks after having seen, the day before on a train, a dog without a muzzle. The SNCF rule provides that beyond 6 kilos, they must be muzzled and remain under the legs of their owner. 

Bruno Guillon, Christophe Beaugrand, Hugo Clément…

But the animal in question is a golden-retriewer, renowned for being one of the most affectionate dogs. In a recent survey, it is even the second favorite breed of the French behind the Australian Shepherd. And, in the photo, it seems more than peaceful. So very quickly, many Internet users were ironic about the rigor of Ms. Le Dain, competing in humor. The tweet gained such momentum in a few hours that certain celebrities entered the debate, notably the hosts Bruno Guillon, Christoph Beaugrand, then the journalist Hugo Clément, specializing in the defense of the environment… and animals.

#LaFrance… Etre pris au sérieux, nous autres français qui râlons tout le temps mais acceptons tout. Ici très gros chien dans le train: pas de muselière, or c’est OBLIGATOIRE (pour ceux-là). Les contrôleurs juste avant, nada! Les passagers non plus. ⁦@SNCFVoyageurs⁩ #nous pic.twitter.com/AWvn1c5L8w

— Anne-Yvonne Le Dain #EnsembleCitoyens #AvecVous (@Ayledain) February 25, 2024

"He got on his back, I was paralyzed"

"The last time I came across a golden, he lay on his back to ask me for a pet. I was paralyzed. I immediately filed a complaint, mocks Hugo Clément, before reproaching the former MP for having taken a photo of the owner without his consent. Anne-Yvonne Le Dain then responds to him and through tweets, the tone rises. With the audience of the initial message then seen several million times.

The controversy continues in the evening, when the journalist reveals that he has carried out his investigation to find the owner of the dog. "This gentleman, perfectly identifiable in the photo, tells me that you did not come to speak to him and that you took the photo surreptitiously, without his consent. He also tells me that he always travels with a muzzle, and that he puts it on as soon as a passenger, afraid of dogs, feels uncomfortable", resumes Hugo Clément, informing that Mowgli, the doggie in question, is 8 years old.

In the media…

End of the story ? On the contrary. The next day, many media outlets took up the subject, from Figaro to JDD via CNews and La Voix du Nord. Anne-Yvonne Le Dain is questioned by journalist Pascal Praud on the Europe 1 antenna. The France 5 show, C à vous, brings in the SNCF to comment on the controversy. The company confirms that the rule provides for the wearing of a muzzle but says "trust the captains to adapt to each situation  ;quot;. This would have been the case on Saturday with Moogly. Hugo Clément is jubilant. "Here, next subject", he thinks he concludes. 

But Anne-Yvonne Le Dain does not appear to be defeated. "Hey, you’have created a buzz and lots of followers and are starting to wonder if it’s not going too far? Or are you? put a diaper back on ? I remind you: 60,000 bites from friendly doggies recorded at the hospital each year", replied the former MP this Tuesday morning. His tweet has been viewed nearly 16 million times and attracted more than 13,000 comments. This will at least have made it possible to recall the rule.