Train runs over cat at Paris train station – now it is determined
“Saw him cut in half”
Mother and daughter traveled with their cat. Then he escapes on the platform of the Paris train station, hiding under a train. The women wanted to prevent the train from leaving – in vain. The case stirs up France.
Published: 01/27/2023 at 10:55 p.m
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Updated: 01/28/2023 at 00:00
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A train runs over the cat Neko at the Paris train station. The SNCF state that this is not their problem.
A dead cat causes horror in France. 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.
Minister of the Interior speaks out
Now Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin (40) is commenting on the case. He said on Friday on BFMTV that he was “particularly shocked” by how the French railway company SNCF “handled the terrible case”. The investigation must clarify who is criminally responsible for the death of the cat.
The details of the case are shocking. “We saw him cut in half,” Melaina told animal rights group 30 Million Friends.
“It’s just a cat”
“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 has now reported the SNCF for “serious abuse and cruelty that led to the death of an animal”. If it comes to trial, a court could impose a fine of up to 75,000 francs and a five-year prison sentence.
The SNCF said it regretted the “tragic” incident, but the cat could not be saved 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. (AFP/euc)
