Animal abuse: Public employee kills a cat with a shovel. Commentary on the Judgment 12/2015, of 12th January, of the Criminal Court N. 4 of Valladolid

Abstract

In 2013 the City of La Cistérniga (Valladolid) receives a call from a neighbor warning of the presence of a sick cat in the garden of a community. A public employee arrives at the scene, equipped with a shovel, and he stroke several blows to the little animal and then put it into a garbage bag, already dead. All this occurred in the presence of many neighbors, including children. The facts were reported by the Observatorio de Justicia y Defensa Animal to the Public Prosecution, that opened criminal investigations which were subsequently referred to the Judge and processed as preliminary proceedings. Despite the seriousness of the facts, the public prosecution and the defense of the accused reached an agreement according to which the Criminal Court issued a judgment with a light sentence. It is the first time – at least, known – that a public employee in the exercise of his function is condemned for animal abuse in Spain.