In June this year a cat owner embarked on a train journey from Agen to Bordeaux, France.
Little did she know a computer error meant she would be met by police officers on arriving at her destination.
A shocking reaction
When Pouki's owner was unable to purchase a train ticket for her cat, she approached the train conductor to rectify the error.
Having left the station, she was told the ticket now cost 20 euros, 13 euros more than she was originally asked to pay.
Outraged, she questioned the increase with the train conductor, who responded to her complaint by issuing a fine of 85 euros.
She was then asked to provide proof of identity, which she didn't have with her. Desperately searching for a copy on her phone, she had no idea the French police were waiting at the next station.
As the doors opened, she was met by five officers. Dressed in bullet-proof vests, they were obviously expecting a dog without a muzzle. Instead, they found Pouki, a sweet British Shorthair who was just as bewildered as his owner.
"I felt as if I were travelling with a lion on the train", she recalled.
Filing a complaint
The worried owner discussed filing a complaint with the train conductor, who immediately let her know he would do everything in his power to ensure it was dismissed.
"The experience has highlighted the attitude of certain SNCF conductors, who seem to use a disproportionate amount of power when dealing with cooperative clients", Pouki's owner explained.
Four months on, she has heard nothing from the train company and her fine remains unchanged.
SNCF responded to the allegation, claiming they were looking into her case in detail. They reiterated that pets are always welcome on their trains, with at least one animal travelling on every train that runs. "There are many ways to buy a ticket for your pet", they went on to explain, including a designated desk available at the train station.
