A mayor in eastern France has refused to sign a license for two dogs
named "Itler" and "Iva" who he claims are owned by an official from
France's far-right National Front.
"I don't want to sign this license ... of course 'Itler' and 'Iva' make
you think of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, a dubious play on words," said
Luc Binsinger, the mayor of the small town of Saint-Nicolas-de-Port.
"I have written to the local prefect to ask him what I can do. In the meantime, I'm not signing," he said, adding he believed the owner of the two American Staffordshire Terriers was a local National Front official. "It's completely mad. Stupid even," added Binsinger.
The owner had already secured an initial license - required in France for dangerous dogs - but the names had apparently not raised eyebrows at the time. "It's not a question of how dangerous the dogs are, it's a question of principle," said Binsinger. There is in theory no restrictions on naming animals in France, with one exception. You cannot call a pig Napoleon, due to a law aimed at preserving the image of the Emperor which is still on the statute books.
"I have written to the local prefect to ask him what I can do. In the meantime, I'm not signing," he said, adding he believed the owner of the two American Staffordshire Terriers was a local National Front official. "It's completely mad. Stupid even," added Binsinger.
The owner had already secured an initial license - required in France for dangerous dogs - but the names had apparently not raised eyebrows at the time. "It's not a question of how dangerous the dogs are, it's a question of principle," said Binsinger. There is in theory no restrictions on naming animals in France, with one exception. You cannot call a pig Napoleon, due to a law aimed at preserving the image of the Emperor which is still on the statute books.
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