Animal rights activists in France celebrated after a tame wild boar in danger of death was allowed to stay with its owner.
The pig, named Rillette, was found in 2023 as a piglet by Elodie Cabe on her small horse-breeding farm in Chorus, central France, after his mother had apparently abandoned him.
The local authorities had refused to grant Ms. Kabi the necessary permission to keep a wild animal. Unable to find a haven to take Relet, she faced the prospect of having to euthanize her.
A French court has now ruled that the authority's decision must be reconsidered.
Mrs. Cappy's husband thought it was a joke when she returned home with the little pig on April 1 – April Fool's Day – which she then raised.
She told the BBC that she initially tried to release Rilet and return him to the wild, but the pig came running back.
“She is happy here,” Ms. Cappy said.
Wild boars can carry diseases and cause inconvenience to farmers due to their size. They weigh between 60 and 100 kilograms, according to the Woodland Trust, and are capable of tearing down fences, damaging fields and killing livestock.
While attacks on humans are rare, wild boars have increasingly been spotted roaming towns and cities across Europe, prompting officials to allow the culling of wild boars in several countries.
ReutersWhen Ms Cappy's local authority refused her permission to keep the wild animal – and she was unable to find a sanctuary that would accommodate the massive beast – she was faced with two options.
She could give the pig to a woman who trains animals for movies for profit, or Rillette would be euthanized—something she didn't want to happen.
Cappy described Rilet, who hugged and caressed her, as her “best friend.”
“We both play a lot. I'm learning a lot of things. She knows how to sit (on request), lie down, and play with the dogs.
“She joins us for horseback riding. She sleeps with the dogs. She's a clown! She spends her days playing with silly things.”
But keeping the pig means Cappy risks three years in prison and a €150,000 (£127,000) fine.
Her appeal to the French court received global attention. She said she received phone calls from Germany, Ukraine, Brazil, Canada and the United States while fighting the case.
Rilett's story sparked comparisons with a case in the United States last year, where a tame squirrel named Peanut had a large following on social media. It was suppressed by the authorities, sparking a wave of anger.
ReutersIn France, animal rights activist and film star Brigitte Bardot joined the campaign to save Relette.
A court in the nearby city of Châlons-en-Champagne ruled that the authorities must reconsider the original application submitted by Ms. Cabey.
It also ordered them to pay 15,000 euros (£12,700) in compensation, according to Reuters.
“Although the hunting of live wild boar in the wild is prohibited in principle, the governor still has the authority to authorize it,” the judge said.
Ms Cappy was thrilled when her lawyer announced the decision: “I started celebrating, and I screamed very loudly because I was so happy.”
She said she would buy cake and drink champagne, explaining that cake, along with apples, is one of her pets' favorite foods.
Additional reporting by Alex Phillips
