Cat lovers have called for French railway staff to be sent to prison after a much-loved family pet was ”sliced in half” because they refused to delay a train when he ran on the track.
The death of Neko, aged four, has caused widespread anger across the country, and a criminal prosecution that on Tuesday was being considered by judges in Paris.
Animal rights activists have called for tough action against SNCF, France’s national rail operator, following the cat’s death in January.
He was with his owners – named by the Paris Police Tribunal as Georgia and her 15-year-old daughter Melaina – at Paris Montparnasse station when he escaped from his travel bag and got underneath a stationary train bound for Bordeaux.
After a 20-minute search, they pleaded for the train to be delayed, but instead it set off as planned.
“We saw him sliced in half,’”said Melaina, who is being supported by the animal rights group 30 Million Friends.
“The rail staff told us it wasn’t their problem – that it was just a cat and that we should have had him on a leash.”
A criminal lawsuit has been filed against SNCF, with the campaigners calling for the operator to be found guilty of “wilfully causing an animal’s death” – an offence which comes with a five-year prison sentence and fine equivalent to around £67,000.
Demonstrators have gathered across the country, and a “Justice for Neko” petition is approaching 40,000 signatures.
The case opened on Monday, with SNCF facing the charge of ‘inflicting involuntary harm on a domestic pet,’ but 30 Million Friends lawyers said the offence should be raised.
Prosecutors have initially asked for the charges to be dropped, but judges were on Tuesday mulling over the case, and could still order a trial.
“Neko has not said his last word,” said Georgia. “This must never happen again. A trial is important symbolically.”
An SNCF spokesman said: “Everyone has been very affected by this event which has stirred strong emotions in the company and among the train personnel.”
“Despite the search by staff and the owner, the cat was no longer visible when the train departed. No one knew where he was.”
