Animals living freely in urban spaces are integral to our daily lives. Due to profound changes in their habitat caused by urbanization and our lifestyle, they differ from wild or domestic animals, forming a distinct category known as « liminal animals ».
The World Day for the Defense of Liminal Animals has been set for July 18 in honour of the release of the book « Zoopolis » by Sue Donaldson and Will Kymlicka. This year, the Day will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024, to facilitate the mobilisation of activists for this event.
This manifesto establishes fundamental principles for peaceful coexistence with these animals in our cities.
The primary goal of this day is to promote a collective reflection on how to coexist with liminal animals in urban spaces and to highlight the cruel methods widely used against them. We aspire to a peaceful coexistence between humans and liminal animals : our societal project.
The theme for this inaugural year is the coexistence with pigeons and the denunciation of cruel methods targeting them.
Fundamental Principles:
We recognize two inseparable axes for better coexistence with liminal animals:
1. Improve the lives of liminal animals
a) Population control: We support population control of liminal animals if necessary but strongly condemn the use of lethal methods.
b) Habitat preservation: We advocate for safeguarding specific areas, such as green spaces, where liminal animals live. The establishment of suitable structures, such as pigeon lofts, is encouraged.
c) Adequate nutrition: Public policies must ensure that animals can access suitable nutrition. Vegetated living spaces are recommended to meet the specific needs of herbivorous animals.
d) Consultation and ethology: Implementing coexistence solutions requires thoroughly studying each species’ ethology and biological needs. A consultation process between stakeholders is essential.
2. Change the collective perception of liminal animals:
Sensitization: We must change our representations by sensitizing the population through educational activities, conferences, and scientific outreach.
For this first edition, 35 associations have signed our manifesto.
AgirOra Network Italy, Animal Rebellion, Animal Save France, Animal Save Valencia, ATRA, Bite Back, Brigana Animal, Casa Vegana, Combactive, DxE Baltimore, DxE Champaign, Futur Asso, L’AG Antispéciste, L’AJAS, L214, La Griffe, La SNDA, Le Collectif Animalier du 06, Le Collectif Rennais pour l’Égalité Animale, Le Projet Méduses, Loomus, Movimento Antispecista, NALA, Nevidimi, New Hampshire Animal Rights League, Obraz, Ocima Zvirat, Oipa Italia, One Voice, PETA France, QUATRE PATTES, Sentience Rennes, Sentience Suisse, Unión Vegetariana Española
This day is also supported by three political parties (La France Insoumise, le Parti Animaliste and la Révolution Écologique pour le Vivant), and three municipalities (Bordeaux, Montpellier and Mérignac) in France.
Scheduled events in France:
- July 12 in Bezons at 1:00 PM (the City captures pigeons) by PAZ
- July 15 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye at 1:00 PM (the City kills pigeons) by PAZ
- July 17 in Vienne at 10:00 AM by AJAS
- July 20 in Châteauroux at 10:00 AM (the City captures and gasses pigeons) by J’agis pour les Animaux dans le Berry
- July 20 in Périgueux at 10:00 AM (the City most likely captures and gasses pigeons) by Aquitaine Branch of Projet Méduses
- July 20 in Paris by PAZ
- July 20 in Toulouse by REV Occitanie
- July 20 in Brive-la-Gaillarde at 3:00 PM (the City refuses to provide administrative documents related to pigeon management. PAZ has taken the matter to the Administrative Court) by Aquitaine Branch of Projet Méduses
- July 27 in Antibes at 10:15 AM (the City surgically sterilizes and gasses pigeons) by Alpes Maritimes and Var Branch of One Voice
Scheduled events around the world:
- Spain:
On July 20th in Valencia at 7 PM by València Animal Save - Estonia:
On July 20th in Tallinn by Loomus - Czech Republic:
On July 18 in Ostrava by Obraz - US:
On July 18th in Champaign at 2 PM (CDT) by DxE
On July 20th in Baltimore Inner Harbor at 16 PM (EDT) by DxE
On July 20th in New Hampshire at 10 AM by New Hampshire Animal Rights League
Other actions:
France: La Griffe published a collection of testimonials on the occasion of World Day, and Futur Asso released a video.
Mexico: Brigada Animal recorded a dedicated podcast.
Spain: Unión Vegetariana Española is going to published an article that appeared in their journal in July and on their website.
To propose an action in your city (freely chosen action: conference, screening, debate, demonstration, leaflet distribution, etc.), contact the team by email at: [email protected]
PAZ commits to :
– centralizing all actions on its website and promoting them on social media.
– promoting the event by contacting the national and local press in each region where at least one event is being carried out.
– conducting a post-event analysis of the World Day and sharing its content with all participating organizations.
– supporting initiatives and providing :
- For event in France : materiel tailored to each local event.
- For event outside of France : PDFs of leaflets in your language to facilitate printing.
- Make a donation.
- Spread the word about this World Day around you.
- Create content about Liminary Animals to be released on July 20th (video, poem, music, illustration, article etc.).
- Raise awareness for the Day by changing your banner on Facebook and Twitter/X
27/07/24 – France 3 / « Antibes doit cesser de tuer des pigeons » : l’association de défense des animaux OneVoice se mobilise
27/07/24 – France 3 / Méthode cruelle visant les pigeons à Antibes
27/07/24 – France Bleu / Deux associations de défense des animaux mobilisées à Antibes pour dénoncer la stérilisation chirurgicale des pigeons
23/07/24 – Radios Libres en Périgord / Comment protéger les animaux liminaires ?
22/07/24 – La Montagne / Les antispécistes montent au créneau
22/07/24 – Actu.fr / Val-d’Oise. L’association PAZ manifeste : « Stop aux captures de pigeons ! »
22/07/24 – Ouest France / Des militants s’opposent au gazage des pigeons organisé par la mairie de Châteauroux
21/07/24 – Dordogne Libre / Capture et gazage des pigeons à Périgueux : les associations de protection animale mobilisées
21/07/24 – Sud Ouest / Cette association exige l’arrêt des captures de pigeons. (Édition papier)
20/07/24 – L’Union / Format papier
20/07/24 – La Montagne / Le sort des pigeons à Brive, source d’un litige entre les antispécistes et la Mairie
20/07/24 – France Bleu / « C’est une agonie terrible » : une association dénonce le gazage des pigeons par la Ville de Châteauroux
20/07/24 – La Nouvelle République / Régulation des pigeons : le Maire de Châteauroux prêt à rencontrer les militants de la condition animale
20/07/24 – La Dépêche / Toulouse : « La Mairie pratique une stérilisation des pigeons qui est dommageable », dénoncent les militants des associations REV et PAZ
20/07/24 – Sud-Ouest / Cette association exige de la Ville de Périgueux l’arrêt des captures de pigeons
20/07/24 – France Bleu / journal radio
19/07/24 – France Bleu / Une association accuse la maire de Périgueux de « rire » de la souffrance des pigeons, Delphine Labails se défend
19/07/24 – Le Progrès / Elles s’opposent au gazage des pigeons
19/07/24 – La Dépêche du Midi / « Stop à la stérilisation des pigeons »
17/07/24 – Le Dauphiné / Vidéo
17/07/2024 – Le Dauphiné / « C’est une méthode cruelle et douloureuse » : elles s’opposent au gazage des pigeons
16/07/2024 – Actu.fr / Près de Nice. Dans cette Ville, les pigeons sont stérilisés avec une méthode jugée « cruelle »
15/07/2024 – Actu.fr / Yvelines : ils demandent l’arrêt des cruautés envers les pigeons
14/07/2024 – Place Gre’net / Gazage des pigeons : des associations animalistes annoncent un “happening” devant la mairie de Vienne
11/07/2024 – New Hampshire Union Leader / Pigeons wrongly maligned
11/07/2024 – Sud Ouest / Dordogne : une association animaliste appelle à manifester contre les captures de pigeons
10/07/2024 – La Nouvelle République / « Stop au gazage des pigeons ! » : une manifestation samedi 20 juillet à Châteauroux
Nous remercions la SNDA pour son soutien pour cette Journée.