Cats, hedgehogs and trees threatened by a shared garden

For several years, cats and hedgehogs have been living in « Clos Carret » park (Lyon 69004). A written document from the City Parks and Gardens Department of Lyon allows the presence of a shelter for these cats, whom we take care of.

But at the end of January 2018, a city councillor, disregarded this document and unscrupulously ordered the destruction of the shelter, resulting in injuries to one of the cats and the death of two hedgehogs (protected species).

Why? To build a shared vegetable garden managed by the association "The ephemeral gardens" that does not include residents.

We obtained permission to reinstall a shelter, at our expense, and the assurance that the shelter would not be moved or destroyed. Today, we are told that for the installation of this shared garden, the cats will be moved to another park.

We reject this project for the following reasons:

-Animal cruelty causing the death of two members of a protected species and injuries to a cat

- Total disregard for the welfare of animals. The territorial nature of cats is not taken into account.

-Disregard of a written agreement  from the City Parks and Gardens Department of the city of Lyon.

-We firmly reject a shared vegetable garden managed by an external association for several reasons:

-Source of disagreement / possible bone of contention in the neighborhood;

- Cutting down perfectly healthy trees to make room for the vegetable garden;

-Destruction of a peaceful green area for residents, high school students, elderly people, neighborhood children;

-Problems related to compost: rats, flies, devalued flats for the owners around « Clos Carret » park