An animal protection organization has uncovered more than 300 pig and piglet carcasses in a swine farming operation across two sites in Hénon and Saint-Carreuc, located in the Côtes-d’Armor department of France, prompting an immediate judicial investigation. According to reports from regional media and official confirmations, investigators from the national gendarmerie and local protection services found the remains in advanced stages of decomposition alongside surviving animals trapped within the facilities.
Investigation Launched Following Association Complaint in Côtes-d’Armor
The investigation began after animal rights group L214 filed a formal complaint regarding conditions at facilities operated by the SCEA du Tertre Es Lys in Hénon and Saint-Carreuc, as reported by France 3 Régions. Visual documentation gathered by the organization on August 3 and August 4, 2026, revealed more than 300 dead pigs and piglets, with many bodies reduced to skeletons or in advanced states of mummification.
The Saint-Brieuc public prosecutor’s office confirmed that a formal complaint had been received regarding animal abandonment and poor treatment. In response, investigators from the Moncontour community of brigades and agents from the Direction départementale de protection des populations (DDPP) visited the sites on Monday, August 10, 2026, to conduct physical inspections and gather evidence.
The prefecture of the Côtes-d’Armor stated via Agence France-Presse that comprehensive checks and laboratory analyses remain ongoing to determine the exact timeline and conditions surrounding the mortality rates.
Contrast With Recent Industry Promotion and Modernization Claims
The targeted farming operations had recently drawn positive attention from the agricultural sector. According to documentation from L214, the enterprise was tied to promotional efforts by the agro-industrial cooperative Eureden. On June 19, 2026, an open house event welcomed approximately 550 visitors to inspect newly constructed farrowing and post-weaning buildings.
Organizers had presented the upgraded infrastructure as a benchmark for future swine farming, highlighting features such as freedom-farrowing pens, advanced cooling systems, natural lighting, and improved thermal regulation designed to enhance animal comfort following a previous fire incident in October 2024.
However, investigators and advocacy groups noted a stark contradiction between public presentations and conditions inside the structures. The organization’s findings indicate that approximately 80 percent of the piglets in the newly showcased freedom-pen areas perished, representing over 200 young animals left without adequate intervention over a period spanning several weeks or months.
Next Steps and Official Oversight
As the joint inquiry by the DDPP and local law enforcement continues, animal protection advocates have petitioned the prefecture of the Côtes-d’Armor—specifically addressing Prefect de Keréver—to enact emergency measures. These demands include the immediate administrative closure of the affected facilities, the emergency relocation of any surviving livestock, and a formal prohibition preventing the current operator from maintaining or working with animals.
