Maximum Sentence for Opossum Killer E action

[Omaha Steve]

Yesterdays Opossum post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025684240

https://secure2.convio.net/ida/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=01C68A7B59D7E71828F0EF4448EB85A5.app263b?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2662&autologin=true&AddInterest=1022





Maximum Sentence for Opossum Killer

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In Defense of AnimalsAuthorities at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter recently arrested a Santa Cruz pizza restaurant employee who confessed to killing a baby opossum with bleach at the request of the restaurant owner's mother. Todd Stosuy, field services manager for the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, said the shelter treats allegations of cruelty against opossums the same way it would with a dog or cat. "They have every right to live and be free from suffering," said Stosuy.

Head Chef Dany Pena says he found two employees standing next to a garbage can with the baby opossum inside. The employees had been told to kill the animal by pouring bleach on him. "I immediately freaked out," Pena said. "It was a baby, and the sweetest looking guy on the planet." Pena quit his job on the spot, washed the suffering baby animal off, and took him to a wildlife rehab center where sadly he died an hour later. "The lack of remorse they had about this act of cruelty led me to quit. None of God's creatures should be treated in this manner," Pena said.

"That was a really brave thing he did to step in and help save the animal," said Rebecca Dmytryk of Wildlife Emergency Service. "We don't see a lot of people take a stand."

Let’s encourage other concerned citizens to stand up for animals by asking the Santa Cruz District Attorney to prosecute this opossum killer to the fullest extent of the law.

Read more about this cruelty case here: http://www.kionrightnow.com/news/local-news/arrest-made-in-santa-cruz-pizzeria-perished-possum-case/29055104

What you can do:


Please send the letter below to Bob Lee, District Attorney, County of Santa Cruz
Personalize and submit the form below to email your comments to:

Bob Lee, District Attorney, County of Santa Cruz
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[herding cats]

1. Recommended

Off to sign now. What a cruel thing to do!

[indie9197]

2. Are you allowed to kill rats and mice in California?

Just curious. Am assuming it is ok to kill ants, roaches, and black widow spiders.

I guess the restaurant worker should have called IDA. Pouring bleach on it was not the way to go. In a different setting, possums aren't necessarily pests but I don't think I would want one around my restaurant- they can be pretty stinky.

[Hestia]

3. No, they are a pest here and tear up gardens. A possum is not the equivalent to a dog or cat

I will not go out of my way to exterminate them, and surely there had been a better way than bleach to get rid of the possum, but save them, no; open a vein for one, definitely not. Maybe they are exotic in Calif, but definitely not in the south.

[nomorenomore08]

4. Couldn't they have released it outdoors? Or *anything* besides slowly and painfully kill it? n/t