The photo you see above is of the esteemed author, veterinarian, and dog lover Fernand Mery with 2 of his dogs . I acquired this gorgeous original 8×10 studio photo a few years ago because I had 2 copies of his book”Le Chow Chow”, and loved having this image to go with them. In researching Fernand Mery (see below) I found so much out about this wonderful man who was a leader for Animal Welfare in France.
Title: Le chow-chow
Publisher: Paris, Crépin-Leblond
Publication Date: 1970
GOOGLE TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH WIKIPEDIA
In his youth, he was saved from drowning by her horse when it and its rider fell into the water and can not swim, Fernand clutched his mare who came out of the water. This moment was for him revealing his future career to devote himself to the animals. He will make his veterinary studies at the National Veterinary School of Lyon 1, and become doctor after an exercise thesis on animal psychology and psychiatry vétérinaire2.
He began his career in Paris as assistant then have its own office where he decided to take care of pets. (At the beginning of last century, we hardly cared for the dogs and cats, it dealt only with horses and production animals).
During World War II, Mery is charged by the Ministry of War to train dogs to detect enemy lines but also to send messages. It will be a dismal failure. Before joining friends for dinner there was a knock at his door and brought to him a little bitch ready to give birth and evil-in point. He decided to cancel its evening to treat this little dog. His friends were part of the resistance and they were arrested the evening dinner where Fernand had to participate. Veterinary acknowledged he treated the animals of French personalities
Fernard Mery had another passion: writing. He collaborated in the early 1920s to the “Troubadour” where he wrote some news. He became the animal following journalist for major national newspapers: France-Soir, Viewpoint. He was also on the radio for chronic animal. He wrote many books on pets: Beasts and people to love, His Majesty the cat, the dog Our Friend, The Wings of the animal world … He received numerous awards for his works
In 1953, he founded the association “Friends of animals” with a magazine that has been very successful. He will fight against the mistreatment of animals which will lead to a repressive law in 1963 against people mistreating animals. In 1970, it will establish the “National Council for Animal Protection”, which is an association that will deal with several issues around animal protection. With one of his articles, there will be a regulation on hunting for fur animals and on the treatment of animals for slaughter.
He created in 1976 the foundation “Assistance to animals.” He thus participate in the development of Griotteray3 Act 1971 and the layout of the canine tattoo in France. In 1974, he published a statement Twelve duties of man towards animals, which will collect 2 million signatures and will be at the origin of the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights by UNESCO in 1978.
His motto was: “The knowledge to understand them, to understand love, love to defend.” Dr. Mery conduct an awareness campaign and legal actions to ban pigeon shooting, measure adopted in 1980.
He died at Cannes in 1984 but was buried in Clermont l’Hérault. His wife continued her fight to animals and died in 2008.
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