The case of a domestic cat killed by a train in Paris has caused horror in France. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on BFMTV on Friday that he was “particularly shocked” by how the French railway company SNCF “handled the terrible case”. The investigation must now clarify who is criminally responsible for the death of the cat.
The cat Neko escaped from his owner Georgia and her 15-year-old daughter Melaina on January 2 at the Montparnasse train station in Paris. He jumped out of his transport bag and disappeared under a train. Mother and daughter tried in vain for 20 minutes to prevent the train from leaving. The staff did not respond to her request, the train departed and killed the cat.
“We saw him cut in half,” Melaina told animal rights group 30 Million Friends. “They told us it wasn’t their problem, it was just a cat and we should have kept her on a leash.” After the traumatic experience, the train only offered them a free ticket to Bordeaux.
The organization 30 million friends reported the SNCF for “serious abuse and cruelty that led to the death of an animal”. If it goes to trial, a court could impose a fine of up to 75,000 euros and a five-year prison sentence.
SNCF said it regretted the “tragic” incident, but the cat could not be rescued because stepping on the tracks is strictly forbidden due to the risk of electrocution. Darmanin has now announced training for police officers in 4,000 train stations across the country to better respond to animal smuggling and animal cruelty.
