Skunk shot with pellet gun, beaten to death - Petawawa, ON

Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007

Sean Newman, 30, of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Petawawa, was charged August 14, 2007 under the Criminal Code of Canada with causing unnecessary pain and suffering to a skunk.

The investigation was initiated on June 20, 2007 when a member of the public reported witnessing the shooting of a skunk with a pellet gun and the subsequent beating it to death with a piece of wood at a residence in CFB Petawawa's Private Married Quarters. An investigator from the Ontario SPCA Renfrew County Branch was directed to the location of the bloody carcass of the dead skunk.

The investigator was able to acquire the carcass of the skunk that had been left beside the road, tied in several small grocery type bags.

Examination revealed that the skunk appeared to have received some sort of blunt force trauma to the skull.

Mr. Newman is scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice, Pembroke on September 11, 2007. If convicted he could face a maximum six-month jail term, a maximum fine of $2,000 and a two-year prohibition from owning any animals.

"Causing unnecessary pain and suffering to animals – including wildlife – are offences under the Criminal Code of Canada and perpetrators will be prosecuted by the Ontario SPCA," says branch manager Tracy McElman. "When dealing with wildlife please consider the enormous hardships wild species encounter because so much of their habitat has been destroyed, and each year they are forced into closer contact with humans. With a little understanding and a few precautions and common sense steps, we can all enjoy the wonderfully interesting wild animals who share our cities."

References

• The Daily Observer - Aug 28, 2007

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