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French rail operator SNCF fined after train killed cat hiding on tracks French rail operator SNCF fined after train killed cat hiding on tracks
(about 2 months later)
Death of Neko, who disappeared under train as it prepared to leave, left interior minister ‘shocked’Death of Neko, who disappeared under train as it prepared to leave, left interior minister ‘shocked’
A French court has found the national rail operator guilty of negligence after a departing train ran over a cat hiding on its tracks.A French court has found the national rail operator guilty of negligence after a departing train ran over a cat hiding on its tracks.
The death of the cat, called Neko – which means “cat” in Japanese – in January at Paris’s Montparnasse station provoked outrage, with the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, declaring himself to be “particularly shocked”.The death of the cat, called Neko – which means “cat” in Japanese – in January at Paris’s Montparnasse station provoked outrage, with the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, declaring himself to be “particularly shocked”.
The animal rights body the Brigitte Bardot Foundation asked the rail operator SNCF: “Are you not ashamed?”The animal rights body the Brigitte Bardot Foundation asked the rail operator SNCF: “Are you not ashamed?”
Passengers Georgia and her 15-year-old daughter Melaina said their pet escaped from its travel bag and disappeared under a high-speed train as it prepared to leave Paris for Bordeaux, in south-western France, with 800 passengers onboard.Passengers Georgia and her 15-year-old daughter Melaina said their pet escaped from its travel bag and disappeared under a high-speed train as it prepared to leave Paris for Bordeaux, in south-western France, with 800 passengers onboard.
After 20 minutes of them trying to persuade staff to rescue it, the train departed, killing the cat.After 20 minutes of them trying to persuade staff to rescue it, the train departed, killing the cat.
“We saw him sliced in half,” Melaina told the animal rights association 30 Million Friends at the time. “They told us it wasn’t their problem, that it was just a cat and that we should have had it on a leash.”“We saw him sliced in half,” Melaina told the animal rights association 30 Million Friends at the time. “They told us it wasn’t their problem, that it was just a cat and that we should have had it on a leash.”
SNCF offered the cat’s owners a free ticket to Bordeaux in compensation.SNCF offered the cat’s owners a free ticket to Bordeaux in compensation.
The association filed a complaint for “serious abuse and cruelty leading to the death of an animal”.The association filed a complaint for “serious abuse and cruelty leading to the death of an animal”.
That charge allows for a fine of up to €75,000 (£64,000) and a five-year jail sentence, but in the event a Paris court fined SNCF €1,000 for “negligence”, ruling the killing of the pet had been caused “involuntarily”.That charge allows for a fine of up to €75,000 (£64,000) and a five-year jail sentence, but in the event a Paris court fined SNCF €1,000 for “negligence”, ruling the killing of the pet had been caused “involuntarily”.
The verdict went against the recommendation of prosecutors who had called for the operator to be cleared of all charges.The verdict went against the recommendation of prosecutors who had called for the operator to be cleared of all charges.
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SNCF’s travel agency branch was ordered to pay a further €1,000 in damages to each of the pet’s two owners.SNCF’s travel agency branch was ordered to pay a further €1,000 in damages to each of the pet’s two owners.
Following Neko’s death, Darmanin announced that police officers in 4,000 stations across the country would be trained to respond to animal trafficking and abuse.Following Neko’s death, Darmanin announced that police officers in 4,000 stations across the country would be trained to respond to animal trafficking and abuse.