Wild boar reprieve: How public support saved Rillette
In April 2023, Elodie Cappe took in a female wild boar. Due to unfavourable laws, she faced imprisonment for keeping a non-domesticated animal, and the animal faced euthanasia. Only now, after two years, has the legal dispute been resolved.
In April 2023, Elodie Cappe, a horse breeder from Chaource, France, found a boar piglet near a bin on her farm. Initially, she wanted to send it to a shelter, but her request was denied. The sow, named Rillette, was spayed, vaccinated, and placed in a special enclosure by her.
French authorities denied the woman the right to keep the sow
Elodie Cappe tried to release Rillette into the wild, but the animal lacked a survival instinct. She submitted several applications for permission to keep the sow, which were rejected. French law prohibits keeping wild animals, which threatened her with imprisonment and a fine, and euthanasia for the sow.
- Rillette has no connection to her species. If we release her in the forest, she'll sit in the middle of the road and run to the first person she sees - Cappe explained, quoted by the TVN Meteo portal. - According to the French judiciary, I took her from her natural environment - she said.
Media and society defended the woman
Finally, the administrative court in Chalons-en-Champagne ordered a reconsideration of Cappe's application and awarded her €1,500 in compensation. The court's decision resulted from widespread public support, including from media and well-known personalities.
Activists and animal rights organisations defended Elodie and Rillette. More than 180,000 people signed a petition on their behalf. Support also came from actress Brigitte Bardot, which contributed to the court's change of decision.
Elodie Cappe expressed joy over the verdict, highlighting that the media played a key role in the case. She announced that the compensation will be donated to charity. Rillette's case has become a symbol of the fight for animal rights in France.
