French police were investigating Thursday the theft of a diamond-studded dog collar from a grave at the world's oldest pet cemetery, whose most famous tenant is Hollywood canine star Rin Tin Tin.

"/> French police were investigating Thursday the theft of a diamond-studded dog collar from a grave at the world's oldest pet cemetery, whose most famous tenant is Hollywood canine star Rin Tin Tin.

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Diamond collar buried with Paris poodle stolen

French police were investigating Thursday the theft of a diamond-studded dog collar from a grave at the world's oldest pet cemetery, whose most famous tenant is Hollywood canine star Rin Tin Tin.

Diamond collar buried with Paris poodle stolen
Nana B Agyei

“The grave of a dog buried with a diamond collar worth €9,000 ($11,700) was desecrated on the night of February 4th to 5th. The investigation is being conducted by the local station,” a police official told AFP.

A wealthy American industrialist’s wife had buried the poodle in 2003 in a marble tomb whose headstone includes a large red heart and an image of a black poodle. The name “Tipsy” was covered with orange tape on Wednesday.

For years the legend of a dog buried with a diamond necklace had circulated in the town, according to cemetery pet owners, but it was only after the theft that police confirmed the truth of what had been thought an urban myth.

Asnières mayor Sebastien Pietrasanta admitted he was astonished that such a valuable necklace had been buried with an animal, but was at pains to insist: “Treasure is not hidden in the tombs of all the dogs and cats.”

Today the French cemetery houses the tombs of 3,000 animals, most of them dogs and cats but also others like Kiki the monkey, Bunga the rabbit, Faust the sheep, several horses and even a lion, staff said.

The tombs are adorned with animal photos, colourful marbles, gnome figurines, angel statuettes, fake mini Christmas trees.

Inscriptions include “to my baby,” “love of our life,” and “loyal companion and only friend of my vagabond and sorry life.”

The wooded alleys and rows of tombs are listed as a historical site and are today owned by the Asnières-sur-Seine local council, and were closed for a few days for a preliminary investigation and to restore the tomb.

Lying by the Seine river, the cemetery was founded in 1899 after the passing of a law requiring pets to be buried in plots 100 metres (328 feet) from homes and with at least a metre of soil covering the remains.

The law forbade residents from “throwing dead beasts into the woods, rivers, ponds, roadsides or from burying them in stables,” according to author Laurent Lasne’s 1988 book about the cemetery, “Island for Dogs.”

The most famous inhabitant is German Shepherd Rin Tin Tin, who starred in more than 20 Hollywood movies in the 1920s, but other stars include police dogs and the pets of French writer Alexandre Dumas and actor Sacha Guitry.

Dead animals aside, the cemetery also has a hut, complete with cat doors, for the dozen abandoned cats who roam the grounds and sit on tombstones.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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