In Germany, the defenders of extreme ecology are threatening the breeding of many cat, dog and bird breeds. In France, in order to avoid such extreme measures, the federation ProNAturA was founded. Here’s their press release.
When Jean Galvany, The former French Minister of Agriculture, declared that France ratified the European Council Convention on the protection of company animals, we, lovers of nature and of animals, should have rejoiced to see the objects of all our cares at last protected and recognised. We should have rejoiced, indeed, but an important element troubled this enthusiasm, and it was such a sentence that nobody could think about criticising it: “Any one selecting a company animal for reproduction should take into account the anatomic, physiologic and behavioural features, which could jeopardise the health and welfare of its descendants.” Article 5 of the European Councill Convention for the protection of company animals.
Indeed, which breeder could be opposed to this Article, as their work of selection is constantly based on the search of the beautiful and healthy animal? It’s great to have a Champion, but it’s much better to have a happy and healthy champion, isn’t it? It’s even the sine qua none condition to be a top breeder. Which breeder would accept the many constraints and sacrifices it takes to breed, if they saw the puppies or kittens or any babies die, and then beyond the sentimental aspect, saw their efforts broken with the loss of their production. The apparition of weak lines, or of lines carrying genetic defects, is the worst enemy and failure for the breeder. This Article therefore follows what thousands of caring and enthusiast breeders are doing in their work of selection.
In the same time, worrying news came from Germany. Over there, a part of the ecologist, called the extreme ecology, tries to have its law and rules passed; do not be mistaken, extreme ecology has nothing to do with good sense ecology, as the latter invites Man to become aware of its environment so as not to destroy it, and himself in the same time. And the breeders, because of their relationship with the animals, which constantly reminds them of the basic rules of life, are often more concerned than the average population. While extreme ecology, by placing all forms of animal and vegetal lives at the same level, leaves no place for humanism and for its values of freedom and culture. Extremists being not afraid of paradoxes, one of their primary targets is those whose rights they claim they are defending,, i.e. the animals themselves, and more particularly those the closest to man, the domestic animals.
Under the pretext of defending them, the fundamentalists are ready to forbid the breeding of many breeds. How would they do this? Simply by making of any morphological particularity a genetic defect. You should know that, for instance, it would be forbidden to breed birds with a hoopoe, those with curled feathers or feathered legs. And that the miniature rabbits, just like the Scottish Folds or the Munchkins should disappear. That the Persians with their long coat are handicapped, and that the short legged Dachshunds are tortured animals. Tortured is indeed the word they are applying to any animal, which could not, for a reason or another, survive by itself in the wild. Just like those beautiful, hornless sheep, which couldn’t defend themselves against wolves! ? ! actually, it’s the action of Man on animals, which these extremists are fighting against, no matter if this action has reciprocal, positive effects. To sum up with the words of the fundamentalist ecologists, selective breeding is like incest, and our animals all have defects.
The least you could say is that the words of the extremist ecologists are more related to anthropomorphism than to a true knowledge of the animals and of their ways of life. This is really not what one could call progress. The problem is that if those German ecologists succeeded in imposing their rules on “the tortured breeds” in the majority of the Landers, just like they already did in Hess, this decision could set a precedent in the rest of Europe, and France could be among the first countries to be struck by the measure, as it has signed the European Council Convention. The breeders, like many scientists, historians and philosophers, no longer stand the fact that the only voices one can hear is those of those so called protectors of the animals. An important part of the animal biodiversity is endangered, and the place of Man in Nature is seriously questioned too.
That’s why, confronted to the urgent and unprecedented situation, several breeders associations have decided to unite in order to fight back those racial theories spread by the radical ecology and the threat it represents for the survival of many vegetal and animal species. That’s why was created the Fédération des Associations pour une Protection Non Anthropomorphiste de la Nature et des Animaux (ProNAturA France). “The Federation of the Associations for a Non Anthropomorphist Protection of Nature and Animals.”
The objectives of ProNAturA are the following:- Creating an animal and vegetal protection on non anthropomorphist bases,- Fighting against the idea that the animals and plants are subjects of Rights and promoting the idea that they are objects of duty for Man, - Defining and précising all those duties on scientific and rational bases, and then promoting the animal welfare from those bases,- Fighting against all the “philosophical” clichés and representations carried by extreme ecology and the organisations of “Animal Freedom”,- Encouraging any scientific research susceptible to benefit to Man, animals or plants,
- Promoting any quality production of food destined to be eaten by Man,- Assuring the protection of rare or endangered animal species, particularly by participating in national and international breeding programs,- Protecting biodiversity,- Favouring the discovery and breeding of domestic or wild animals and plants, in order to favour a better understanding of Nature, and therefore a better respect of Nature,- Promoting the breeding of French and foreign breeds,- Making known to the public and authorities, through movies, publications, articles, working groups, meetings, conferences, exhibitions, the objectives of the Association and the social use of this activity.
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