Russian law enforcement authorities ended an investigation into animal cruelty nearly a year after the death of a pet cat mistakenly thrown from a train sparked a national outcry, media reported Friday.
The cat, Twix, gained nationwide attention after he was found dead, likely from frostbite, in freezing conditions northeast of Moscow on Jan. 11.
Investigators dropped the animal cruelty case in October due to “the absence of a criminal wrongdoing,” the tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda reported, citing an anonymous source close to law enforcement.
The source claimed a train conductor had found Twix and shown him to passengers, including the person transporting the cat.
“But no one recognized the pet,” the source said. They added that Twix was later placed in the train’s vestibule, where a passenger reportedly left him on the platform during a stop in Kirov.
Twix’s owner, Edgar Gaifullin, whose stepfather was tasked with transporting the cat from Yekaterinburg to St. Petersburg, declined to comment on the case.
The cat’s death prompted widespread outrage, with over 260,000 people signing a petition calling for the dismissal of the train conductor. Russia’s top investigator also ordered a probe into the incident.
Following the public backlash, Russian Railways issued an apology for Twix’s death and announced new rules for handling pets on trains. Instead of abandoning animals, conductors are now required to hand them over to railway station personnel, who will contact animal protection groups.
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