Soissons court orders Curtis euthanised in Pilarski dog-attack case
A French court's Curtis ruling turns a fatal dog attack into a cross-border lesson on training, ownership and liability.
In 30 seconds
- The Soissons criminal court ordered Curtis euthanised after the Pilarski case judgment.
- Court evidence attributed the fatal bites to Curtis rather than the hunting hounds nearby.
- French state guidance says first-category attack dogs face strict ownership, import and transfer rules.
- Trial reporting linked Curtis to bite-work competitions outside France, including Belgium.
Elisa Pilarski (29-year-old French woman who died in 2019 while pregnant) became the central victim in a long-running dog-attack case. Curtis (the dog owned by Pilarski's partner Christophe Ellul) was the animal examined by veterinary and DNA experts. Christophe Ellul (Pilarski's partner and Curtis's owner) was prosecuted over alleged negligence in leaving the dog with her. The Soissons criminal court (court in Aisne, northern France) handled the criminal proceedings. The Forest of Retz (large forest near Villers-Cotterêts in Aisne) was where the fatal attack occurred. Rallye La Passion (the hunting group whose hounds were initially blamed) was later challenged by expert findings. Service Public (French state public-information portal) explains the legal rules on categorised dogs. American Pit Bull Terrier (pit bull-type dog often covered by breed-specific restrictions) is central because French rules treat some pit bull-type dogs as first-category attack dogs.
Background
The fatal attack occurred on 16 November 2019, and the early public debate focused on a nearby hunt. By November 2020, expert and genetic findings had shifted the case toward Curtis, with Pilarski's genetic material identified on the dog and not on the hunting hounds. Christophe Ellul was later placed under formal investigation, and in August 2024 an investigating judge sent him to trial. The March 2026 proceedings revisited the same core question: whether the death resulted from an unforeseeable animal attack or from negligent ownership of a dog whose training and status should have raised obvious warnings.
Why now
The story is timely because the Soissons criminal court delivered its 11 June 2026 decision ordering Curtis euthanised, years after the 2019 death and after trial hearings revisited the forensic and ownership evidence.
What happens next
Watch whether Christophe Ellul or other parties pursue further legal steps, how quickly the euthanasia order is enforced, and whether French or Belgian animal-safety authorities respond with renewed checks on bite-work training and cross-border dog documentation.
What to do
Belgian readers who own or train powerful dogs should check documentation, insurance, local rules and travel requirements before crossing borders. The case shows that after a serious bite, courts may examine not only the incident itself but also import history, breed paperwork, training methods, prior behaviour and who allowed the animal to be handled.
How we got here
- 2019-11-16
Elisa Pilarski died after a dog attack in the Forest of Retz while walking Curtis.
- 2020-11-03
Expert and genetic findings publicly shifted responsibility away from the hunting hounds and toward Curtis.
- 2021-03-04
Christophe Ellul was placed under formal investigation for involuntary manslaughter.
- 2024-08-20
An investigating judge sent Christophe Ellul to trial before the Soissons criminal court.
- 2026-03-04
The trial examined the competing accounts of Curtis's role and the nearby hunt.
EvidenceWell established · 1 primary source + 2 official documents + 1 independent reporting source · Academic sources: 1 · Background sources: 2Explore evidence →Hide evidence ↑
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- 11 Jun 2026, 02:00
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- 20 Aug 2024, 02:00
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- 7 Nov 2025, 01:00
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- 21 Jul 2017, 02:00
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- 11 Jun 2026
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This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.
This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and passed Belgium Impulse source, provenance and publication-quality checks. methodology.