The president of the SPA of Ordan-Larroque was placed in police custody Tuesday morning by the gendarmerie for a case of “theft of dogs”. She was still being heard by investigators on Wednesday.
The president of the Gers SPA, Marie-France Le Bagousse-Baus, was placed in police custody in the premises of the gendarmerie in Auch. She was heard there by investigators from Tuesday to Wednesday, in connection with a case of alleged stolen dogs *.
The gendarmerie carried out a search on Tuesday at the home of the president and on the site of the association for the protection of animals, located in Ordan-Larroque. It is unclear whether the investigation targets the association in its role of protection or in its capacity as a departmental pound. The SPA is in fact in charge of welcoming animals for many municipalities in the Gers, following a public service delegation which links it to the Syndicat mixte des trois vallées (SM3V).
For some time now, the president has been targeted on social networks by accusations of stealing dogs from Eauze. The two animals would have been lost in this town in the west of the department. A resident reported the stray dogs, and the pound picked them up. “When the owner wanted to get his dogs back, he was told that one of his dogs had escaped, and the other was dead, false claims at that time,” said a source close to the SPA. One of the dogs, both cross-breeds, was reportedly up for adoption, and the other was with the president.
The 3rd president of the association since 2017
At the SM3V, we refuse to comment on an ongoing investigation, but its president confirms that the work of the pound does not pose a problem: “The staff manages the situation, I have no fear for the public service. »
This case will again throw trouble at the SPA. Ms. Le Bagousse-Baus is the 3rd president in charge of the association since the departure of Janine Alliot in 2017. She had been one of the members of the SPA who had filed a complaint against the president who had succeeded Ms. Alliot. A turnover that does not simplify relations with the elected officials in charge of the pound.
Last night, the Auch prosecutor’s office did not wish to comment on this ongoing investigation. An exceptional board of directors would be convened this Friday to ratify the replacement of the current president of the SPA.
* As a reminder, as long as no court decision has pronounced the conviction of a person recognizing his guilt in a case, this person is presumed innocent.