France’s national rail operator, SNCF, has introduced a formal 20-minute window to rescue animals spotted on train tracks, following public outrage over the 2023 death of a cat at a Paris station.
The cat, Neko, escaped from a traveller’s bag and fell onto the tracks at Montparnasse station.
Hit by train
Despite desperate pleas from her owners, the high-speed Paris–Bordeaux train departed, fatally striking the animal. SNCF maintained Neko was "not visible" at the time.
Two years on, a new internal protocol now gives SNCF staff 10 minutes to search for the animal from the platform and a further 10 minutes to attempt retrieval, provided they do not enter the danger zone on the tracks.
If the pet remains out of reach, trains must proceed at a very low speed, offering the animal a final chance to escape.
New animal welfare rules
The updated rules, issued in a memo to staff, aim to balance passenger safety, punctuality, and animal welfare. An SNCF spokesperson said the guidelines formalise existing practices “applied with common sense and humanity.”
Though Neko’s owners sued SNCF, they ultimately lost on appeal. The case had drawn nationwide attention and prompted a review ordered by the then-transport minister.
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