Nejvyšší soud zamítl Tejcovu stížnost, podmínka za týrání psa byla dostatečná

The Supreme Court of the Czech Republic has rejected Minister of Justice Jeroným Tejc’s complaint regarding a case involving animal cruelty in Uherské Hradiště. The court ruled that the conditional sentence imposed on the perpetrator was neither contrary to the law nor clearly disproportionate. While the accused's actions were deemed serious and unacceptable, the court emphasized that his difficult life circumstances, expressions of remorse, and efforts toward rehabilitation must be taken into account. According to the court, these factors justified the decision to impose a conditional rather than an unconditional prison term.

Minister Tejc criticized the ruling as excessive, stating that courts should impose unconditional sentences in such severe cases. He expressed this view in May, arguing that the legal system should take a firmer stance against animal cruelty. However, Gabriela Tomíčková, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court, clarified that rejecting the minister’s complaint does not imply downplaying the severity of animal abuse. She explained that courts are required to consider all relevant circumstances, including the character of the offender, their past behavior, and the reasons behind the illegal act. This comprehensive evaluation led the Supreme Court to conclude that the conditional sentence was not excessive in this particular case.

According to the court’s judgment, the defendant initially cared for the American Bully dog named Blade properly. His neglect of the dog began during a period when he was struggling with gambling addiction. The court noted that the man did not show long-term indifference towards the dog’s well-being and did not intend to cause physical suffering. Other mitigating factors included his admission of guilt, expression of remorse, and financial support for an animal shelter that had been caring for the dog.

Initially, the district court sentenced the owner to two years in prison. However, the regional branch of the appellate court reduced the sentence to a conditional one. The Supreme Court upheld this decision, stating that the two-year suspended prison sentence combined with a five-year ban on keeping or breeding animals adequately fulfills the purpose of criminal law. It serves both to condemn the crime socially and provide the offender with an opportunity for reform, given that there are specific reasons to believe he can lead a lawful life without repeating similar offenses.

The incident itself unfolded over several months. From November 2023, the dog was left alone in the apartment. Over time, the owner gradually neglected visits, care, and walks. Between January and March 2024, the dog had only sporadic access to water and food. Throughout this period, the dog remained alone in the apartment, leading to severe dehydration and extreme weight loss. A passerby spotted the dog climbing onto an outdoor window sill to lick rainwater before firefighters removed him from the apartment.

In late June, Minister Tejc submitted another complaint to the Supreme Court concerning a case from February 2025 in Sokolovsko, where two men beat a female dog and buried her alive in a forest. Both received conditional sentences, which Tejc considers too lenient. In proceedings related to complaints to the Supreme Court, the court cannot directly appeal the verdict but can influence general judicial practice through so-called academic statements.

Both Minister Tejc and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš have repeatedly called for stricter penalties for animal cruelty. Currently, the Criminal Code sets a base penalty for animal cruelty ranging from six months to three years in prison, with additional measures such as restrictions on activities or confiscation of property also possible. The government plans to raise the lower limit of the penalty to one year. Additionally, new legislation aims to criminalize the killing of cats or dogs due to morally repugnant motives, such as entertainment purposes.