Finistère, france – Volunteer teams comprised of dog handlers and their canine companions are working to locate and alleviate the suffering of injured wild animals across Finistère, France. These duos, part of local sections of the Union Nationale des Chasseurs pour la Récupération des Animaux Blessés (UNUCR – National Union of Hunters for the Recovery of Injured Animals), respond to reports of injured wildlife, primarily wild boar and deer, offering a specialized tracking and intervention service.
The work is driven by a commitment to minimizing animal suffering, a principle enshrined in the UNUCR code of honor. Teams operate with two dogs: one actively tracks the injured animal, led on a leash, while the second serves as a backup, ready to intervene if the injured animal becomes aggressive. Searches can last several hours, and each intervention results in a detailed report documenting the circumstances of the injury. Nationally, the success rate for locating injured animals is estimated at 40%, with approximately 800 dedicated trackers operating across France.
Patrice Ansquer,a volunteer with the organization,recounted a especially sensitive intervention involving a deer struck by a car. “One day, I was called to alleviate the suffering of a deer that had collided with a car. In the vehicle,a child had seen the “Bambi”. Diplomacy was required.”So I explained to him the departure of the “Bambi””, he said.
Initiation days for new volunteers in Finistère are scheduled for September in the Huelgoat forest.interested individuals can find more information on the websites of the UNUCR (https://www.unucr.fr/) or the local Finistère branch, UDUCr 29 (https://www.fdc29.com/associations/uducr-29/). Dead animals recovered during searches are sent to rendering centers.
