Do you throw kittens in the trash? Cretan fined €250,000

The authorities of the island of Crete have fined a man who threw five newborn kittens into a trash can with an unprecedented amount of 250,000 euros.

In addition, the man will be prosecuted on charges of a criminal offense and risk spending 5 years behind bars.

On June 3, a 59-year-old man from Heraklion took the kittens from their mother, put them in a bag and threw them into a trash can on the Heraklion-Myron road in Stavriakani Kamara. He left the area in his car, convinced that he got rid of the kittens with impunity, but that was not to be…

The woman who was taking out the trash bin heard a squeak in the tank and pulled out 5 half-dead kittens from there: one of them had already died, the other four were fighting for life. The kittens were rushed to the vet, but despite efforts to save them, only one survived. The woman contacted the local animal protection society, and they all reported the incident to the police.

Surveillance cameras recorded the man, his car and the incident. His license plates were poorly visible, but on June 9, 2022, the police, with the help of local residents and volunteers, managed to identify the criminal. In the end, the man admitted that he abandoned two-week-old kittens, according to the animal welfare website. zoosos.gr.

Video: Here! That’s who we are!” speaks out loud shocked rescuer filming a tragic find.

This is not the first time in the country someone has abandoned defenseless animals and left them to die. However, this is the first time the new animal protection law has been fully implemented and will certainly set an example for other animal abusers.

Under the new law, abandoning and killing newborn animals is a criminal offence, an administrative fine of 50,000 euros per animal, and the fine cannot be written off. Under the previous law, the administrative fine was 30,000 euros and could be written off in the future.

The incident has been added to a long list of similar crimes committed against vulnerable animals as a direct consequence of Crete being at the top of the list of crimes against animals, according to local news sites. Speaking to KRITI TV, the president of the Zoforos Animal Welfare Association, Maria Khustoulaki, said that Crete is the leader in crimes of neglect, abandonment or cruelty to animals.

“Here in Crete, we are first on the list because of such crimes. This is the first criminal prosecution for the abandonment of newborn animals, which was carried out after a thorough investigation by the Greek police, using the data of people who volunteer to protect animals,” Khustulaki emphasized.

Thanking the police for their efforts to identify the perpetrator, she said that “People should finally understand that life is the birthright of every creature, be it human or animal. And we can’t throw every life in the trash.”

Video: KRITI TV report

Deputy Mayor for Administrative and Financial Services of the Municipality of Heraklion, Maria Kanavaki, said: “At first, the legislation seems harsh, but it should be so when it comes to abuse or torture of living creatures. We condemn this behavior.”

Heraklion animal welfare group Sirios issued a statement saying: “We do not need the strictness of the law to respect the obvious. We must respect and protect the life of every being. Let everyone know that this is an example that such crimes will not go unpunished.”

Please note that, under the new animal protection law, if a person can no longer take care of a pet, dog or cat, a legal procedure must be carried out through the municipalities.

Reportedly local media on the island, the man confessed to the crime but “professed ignorance of the new law”. Now he has learned what “violence against pets” is the hard way: 50,000 euros for an abandoned kitten. The surviving kitten is under the protection of an animal welfare volunteer.

PS Greens, don’t stop. Demand the death penalty for dead cats and dogs. And in the case of killing 5 seals, assign a progressive quartering: two arms, two legs and a fifth head. Nothing to be trifled with. After all, for the murder of a person, the term is almost the same.

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