Innsbruck court tries four men for cat cruelty

On 4 August 2024 the Landesgericht Innsbruck began a trial of four young men, aged 16, 19, 20 and 25, accused of animal cruelty under Austria’s § 222 StGB, which carries a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment. The case stems from an incident in late April in Brixen im Thale, where the defendants attempted to kill a cat with a bolt‑gun, then struck the injured animal with a snow shovel while laughing. One of the perpetrators filmed the attack; the video spread online, prompting nationwide outrage, petitions for harsher penalties and calls for a protest outside the court.

Because one defendant is a minor, the hearing could be held behind closed doors. Animal‑rights lawyer Sascha Flatz had sought to represent the cat’s caretaker as a co‑plaintiff, but the request was denied. The trial highlights Austria’s legal framework for animal protection and the public’s demand for stricter enforcement.