French Prime Minister Lecornu vows stronger action on animal cruelty

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu tasked his government with a set of measures to intensify the fight against animal cruelty, aiming for implementation by 1 October. The plan calls for stricter sanctions, higher‑category fines, an online crackdown on illegal breeding, verification of adopters by shelters, and a review of the use of dogs in scientific research.

The animal‑rights group PAZ (Projet Animaux Zoopolis) criticised recent government announcements as a “sabotage” of the 2021 anti‑cruelty law. PAZ points to missing implementation decrees, exemptions such as Beauval Zoo’s dolphin acquisition, and continued loopholes that allow wildlife captivity in circuses and other venues, accusing the administration of diluting the law’s spirit ahead of the presidential election.