Rosa dos Santos, the owner of Farrusco the cat, is to go on trial for mistreating her pet by allowing it to be the start turn in the annual cat burning event at the São João festival in Mourão near one of Portugal’s culture centres, Coimbra.
On June 23rd, 2015, a video if the ‘cat in a pot up a burning pole’ routine was broadcast on social media causing animal rights groups to condemn the tradition as nothing short of cruelty and launched a public petition which gained over 18,000 signatories.
This vile act of cat buring, according to the state prosecutor, "caused burns to the cat's skin and consequently suffering and pain." Farrusco escaped his fate and fled the scene.
Complaints following the incident were made by the animal rights organisation ANIMAL which called for prosecution, adding that excuse used of cat burning being "a tradition dating back to Medieval times" was not a valid one, and that "traditions have to evolve."
In the video posted on YouTube last year, the village square was full of onlookers but the prosecutor has found it impossible to identify those involved in the 'Queima do Gato' due to the poor quality of the recording. The Judicial Police reported that "video has very poor quality, making it impossible to allow the identification of individuals who set fire to the straw."
The population of Mourão claimed that the cat did not die but many agreed that it had been badly singed.
Only Farrusco’s owner, Rosa dos Santos, (pictured) will be tried even though she claims not to have allowed her cat to be used in this public event.
A request was been sent to the Order of Veterinarians to assess the physical and psychological damage to the cat, and the consequences of its not being treated for its injuries.
This year the GNR took "all preventive and safety measures" to prevent a repeat of the controversy cat burning" in the São João festivities.
The mistreatment of pets is punishable with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 120 days income.
Had Farrusco died as a result of last year’s events, or lost a limb or ability to walk, the perpetrators would be facing imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 240 days income. The trial is set for October, 2016.
