A Medieval Courtroom Like No Other
Between the 13th and 18th centuries, courts across Europe tried animals for crimes. Pigs, cows, horses, and even pests like rats and caterpillars were brought before judges. Records survive from France, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, showing that animals were charged with murder, property damage, or moral offenses.
In many cases, animals were dressed in human clothes, assigned lawyers, and executed publicly, often by hanging, burning, or strangling.
Pigs Sentenced to Death
Pigs were among the most frequently tried animals, especially when they harmed children. In 1226, a pig was burned alive in Fontenay-aux-Roses after killing an infant. In 1386, a pig in Falaise was mutilated to match the child it had killed before being hanged.
In 1492, a piglet was dragged and hanged in Abbeville for murdering a child. In some cases, entire herds were investigated, as in 1379 in Saint-Marcel-le-Jeussey, where two herds were pardoned by the Duke of Burgundy after some of their members were executed for infanticide.
Rats, Roosters, and Legal Maneuvers
In ecclesiastical courts, pests were summoned and tried for damaging crops. Bartholomé Chassenée, a French jurist, defended the rats of Autun, arguing they failed to appear because they feared for their safety.
In 1474, Basel authorities tried and burned a rooster accused of laying an egg, which locals feared might hatch a mythical cockatrice. Another rooster met the same fate in Switzerland in 1730.
Punishment, Procedure, and Debate
Animals often had defense lawyers, though sometimes neither animals nor people received legal representation. Owners could be fined or even hanged if they were found complicit. Execution spectacles drew crowds and were carried out by professional executioners.
Despite their popularity, some scholars, including Thomas Aquinas, criticized the trials, arguing animals lacked rational thought and moral intent. The archives of these trials, though incomplete, provide a documented glimpse into an extraordinary chapter of European legal history.
In medieval Europe, animals were dragged to court, given lawyers, and sentenced to death.
Pigs, cows, rats, and even roosters faced charges from murder to crop destruction.
Records tell of public executions where animals were dressed like humans and hanged or burned…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/IPmkFbT9nu
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) July 17, 2025