Overview
- Passengers discovered three kittens hidden under a seat on a Regionalbahn between Offenburg and Freiburg and alerted train staff when no owner answered repeated on‑board announcements.
- Federal police met the train at Freiburg Hauptbahnhof, took the animals into custody and handed them over to a local animal shelter for care.
- Police have not identified an owner and say abandoning an animal can be punished with fines up to €25,000 or, in severe cases, up to three years in prison.
- Train staff followed standard procedure by making public announcements and calling Bundespolizei when no owner came forward, ensuring the animals were removed from the service safely.
- The case highlights how rail staff and passengers can protect stranded animals and signals possible legal follow-up if the owner is found, including criminal or administrative action.