Animal Lover Kills Hawk to Save Squirrel

[TZ]

VIENNA, Va. -- A Vienna, Va., man was arrested for allegedly going too far to protect his squirrelly friend. Police said they caught him red-handed.

Thomas R. Shepler, 65, of Locust Street, was arrested for discharging a firearm in a public place and cruelty to animals after he shot and killed a hawk in his yard, police said.

Shepler, a self-proclaimed animal lover, said the story actually began last fall when he found an orphaned squirrel in a nearby parking lot. He and his wife named the squirrel Oedipus and devoted their time to nursing him back to health. They fed Oedipus and even let him sleep in their bedroom at night, Shepler said.
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Vienna-Man-Ultimate-Squirrel-Defender.html


I'm not sure what to think about this. I think its sweet to want to protect his squirrel friend but I cannot accept shooting a hawk either...Sad story..:(

[Deja Q]

1. Oedipus complex, I think not...

Why didn't he keep the squirrel indoors? That's the best protection and the hawk can bugger off to eat other squirrels he won't care about by default.

[Shell Beau]

2. Aw! It is hard. I love hawks, but that squirrel was almost like a pet

to him so I can sort of see why he did what he did.

[pinniped]

3. This guy is just as stupid as those pigeon loving idiots that trapped raptors....

so they wouldn't kill their stupid roller pigeons.

Send these jerks to the guillotine!

[BeachBaby]

4. Uh.....

if this squirrel was raised in their home, and was obviously used to being handled by humans, why didn't Mr. Shempler scoop up Oedipus and bring him inside?

That's fucked up. :(

[TZ]

5. I guess they wanted Oedipus to be a free range squirrel

:(

[Shell Beau]

8. Well, some people's dogs and cats live outside.

Maybe he wanted the squirrel to live in its environment.

[BeachBaby]

11. Well, yeah - that's understandable, but.....

the article stated that Mr and Mrs Shempler raised the squirrel indoors, so why not bring him inside?

I mean, it's either that, or constantly watching over him and killing anything that's a threat to him.

Like I said, it's fucked up. :(

[Shell Beau]

17. I would have just let nature take its course I guess. I just

try to think what I would do if it were my dog and the hawk wanted her for dinner. She goes in and out all day (doggie door). Before she became obese, she would've been a good size meal for a big hawk. I do not own a gun, so shooting it wouldn't be an option, but I don't totally blame this man.

[BeachBaby]

21. Well, if it was your dog.....

you would have brought her in, yes?

That's all I'm saying here. The hawk is a wild animal, looking for dinner. The man has in his possession a tamed squirrel. Now, he had two choices: he could have brought the squirrel into the house, of which the squirrel was already accustomed, or to run into the house, grab a gun, and destroyed a life.

That's the problem I have with this: neither of them had to die.

Not trying to argue with you, Shell. I just don't believe in killing something when there are alternatives, you know?

[Shell Beau]

22. I agree. I have only killed one animal in my lifetime and it was

a bird that flew into my car as I was going down the road. I hate to see any animal hurt. I would have brought my dog in, but I am not there during the day and she could easily be caught (if she weren't overweight). I don't think he should have shot the hawk, but I can kind of understand why he did.

[geardaddy]

9. Because he hated the squirrel

for fucking his wife and was afraid for his own safety since the oracle said the Oedipus would kill his father.
;)

[madinmaryland]

6. You sure it was the squirrel doing the shooting...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. He could have shot in the air...

Why'd he have to kill the bird? :cry:

[charlie and algernon]

10. the headline should read "PET lover Kills Hawk to Save Squirrel"

a true animal lover wouldn't kill a hawk, an animal FAR more rare than a squirrel

[Shell Beau]

15. If I saw a hawk coming down on one of my dogs, I can't say that I

wouldn't want to do the same. However, I do not own a gun. I love love love hawks. They are fascinating and beautiful.

[charlie and algernon]

18. well if i saw one coming after Esther my cat, I'd be more inclined to run at it, yelling loudly

that would be just as effective at stopping the attack and wouldn't result in any animal dying.

[Shell Beau]

20. Have you ever seen a determined hawk? There was one in

the middle of my street with its freshly killed squirrel. He downright refused to move out of the street. I was in my car and could have done some major damage to him. Instead he gave me this evil eye. I, of course, moved my car over. But I did so slowly because I was in awe. The hawk stared me down until I was out of sight. They don't mess around when it comes to food.

[charlie and algernon]

27. that's nuts

Esther's never outside, so I don't really have to worry about it. I guess I would hope that I'd see it before it actually grabbed Esther and could charge at it.

[Javaman]

12. this guy has a squirrelpus complex...

:rofl:

[TZ]

13. Nice post antigone!

[Danger Mouse]

14. How the fuck is he an animal lover if he shot an innocent hawk?

The damn bird just wanted its dinner. If you don't want your precious cuddly squirrel to be its dinner, bring it inside.
Idiot.

[BeachBaby]

THANK YOU.

[Shell Beau]

16. That isn't totally fair. I mean many people have their animals fenced

in the backyard. Hawks have been known to prey on cats and small dogs.

[Danger Mouse]

24. You still don't have a right to shoot the hawk. Hawk's just trying to eat.

You don't like it? Don't keep your animal in the back lawn where the hawk can eat it.

[Shell Beau]

25. I wouldn't have shot the bird. But people have the right

to put their animals in the backyard. I mean they do have to pee and poop.

[Danger Mouse]

26. Then watch the animal while it does. Grab the animal if you need to...

or if you really need to, fire a warning shot to scare the hawk away. There was absolutely no reason for him to kill it. None.

[Jamastiene]

19. That's why when I built my cats' playpen at the old place,

I covered it. Yeah, I know more upscale type people would hate someone like me moving in next door and deciding to build something like that, but in my old neighborhood, we all put up with each other pretty well. It's also why if I did get rich, I'd stay where I am and just make the place more energy efficient and add a basement. ;)

Nature has its reasons and its ways. For both the squirrel and the hawk, that's just their nature. The hawk just saw dinner. It didn't know. The guy loved his squirrel. The squirrels get nabbed by hawks sometimes. It happens.

I wish I could have known the guy and let him see my plans for an enclosed safe outdoor playpen beforehand. It protected my cats always and there were always 3 or 4 hawks circling overhead. They came closer checked the situation out and never came back when they realized they were NOT getting in. Meanwhile, my cats had natural grass, plants, and everything you'd see in a backyard.

This story is so sad all the way around.

[deucemagnet]

23. Don't underestimate a squirrel who knows the way of the Force.