PARIS, February 8. /TASS/. World renowned French film star and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has written a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing her concerns over the fate of stray animals in Russia.
"With the passing of the law that more resolutely condemns cruelty towards animals, hope has emerged that their situation in Russia will change," she wrote in the letter, sent to the TASS Paris office on Thursday.
However, "a lot still remains to be done," Bardot wrote, highlighting two problems that she believes must be solved immediately. She said "the eyes of the international community are on Russia" ahead of the FIFA World Cup that Russia will host in summer. "All the more astonishing is the fact that dogs and cats are being culled in many cities of the country," she said. The French film star urged the president to ban the killings of stray animals and "to carry out campaigns to sterilize them, which is way more efficient, cheap and humane".
Another problem she pinpointed is the injuring of bears, raccoon dogs, foxes and badgers at numerous training camps across Russia. "Helpless animals are kept in narrow cages, which they leave only to be torn to bits by trick dogs," she stressed. "All petitions and efforts to save these animals have been in vain, as training dogs to catch wild animals is still legal in Russia," the animal rights activist said.
"Sufferings of these animals, their physical and psychological injuries will continue until Russia starts implementing its recently passed law," she stressed. "I continue trusting you, knowing that you will take the right moves to put an end to these atrocities," the French actress wrote. "Mister President, I once again strongly rely on you, and please take my assurances of respect," she summed up.
Brigitte Bardot ended her film carrier at the age of 38 to fully concentrate on animal protection. In 1999 she passed to the Russian leader through TASS her gratitude for his attention to the problem of animal protection. In January 2000, Vladimir Putin sent a letter to Bardot, giving high marks to her activity and expressing gratitude for her caring about Russia’s future. The president and the French animal rights activist have repeatedly exchanged messages since then.