In France, a court has ruled that the owner of a mistreated cat must pay 100 euros in compensation for the "animal cruelty" charge.
According to Le Parisien, the Lille Criminal Court made the decision in a case against the owner, who was charged with "animal cruelty" after the cat named "Lanna" was found dead in a trash can in July 2023.
The defendant, who confessed to mistreating and killing the approximately one-year-old cat because it scratched his autistic child, was sentenced to an 8-month suspended prison term and banned from owning pets.
Additionally, the court made a symbolic decision to award 100 euros in compensation to the mistreated cat.
Graziella Dode, an animal rights advocate and representative of the Nord Region Animal Protection Association, announced the court's decision on social media, considering it a step towards the "development of animal rights."
The court's decision, which is unique in France, has been well-received by animal lovers. Fabien Macrhadier, a law professor at Poitiers University, commented to 20 Minutes, stating that the court's symbolic decision "evaluates the animal as an individual," indicating a potential opening for questioning methods applied to animals in reproduction and medical treatment.
However, the report did not provide information about where the 100 euros in compensation for the deceased cat would be paid.
