A wild boar adopted by a French horse breeder can remain with her owner, a court ruled on Thursday, after threats by authorities to remove and even euthanize her triggered a storm of protest.

Animal rights campaigners in France are fighting to save a wild boar adopted as a piglet by a horse breeder but now threatened with being put down if her owner does not send her to a specialised sanctuary.

Brigitte Bardot added her voice to storm of protest sparked after authorities threatened to separate Rillette from owner Elodie Cappe and even euthanise her

A French court has ruled that a wild boar named "Rillette" can remain with her owner, after a long legal battle and public outcry over the authorities' attempts to remove or euthanise the animal.

Keeping the boar, though, meant Ms Cappé risked a three-year jail sentence and a €150,000 (£127,000) fine. Her appeal to a French court gained worldwide attention. She said she received calls from Germany, Ukraine, Brazil, Canada and the US while fighting the case.

A French woman who has kept a wild boar as a pet since finding and domesticating the animal can keep it for now, a court has ordered, overruling local authorities who insisted the animal had to be removed or killed.