PETITION TARGET: Elmore County District Attorney CJ Robinson
A possum was allegedly bludgeoned to death near a park entrance in Wetumpka, Ala. Police arrested two men who they say beat the animal with a golf club, the Wetumpka Herald reported.
“I’ve never seen this before,” Ed Reeves, chief of Wetumpka Police Department (WPD), said.
The men are facing charges of animal cruelty. If they are convicted as first-time offenders of this Class A misdemeanor, they may be required to pay fines of up to $3,000, spend up to one year in jail, or both, per the Alabama Legislature’s Code of Alabama.
Possums are the only marsupial native to North America, according to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). They are known for their unusual defense mechanism of playing “dead”, but the NWF said that possums are also beneficial members of the ecosystem. They keep several populations in check, including insects, venomous snakes, and rodents. They also help to reduce exposure to Lyme Disease because they eat ticks.
Wild animals, such as the possum, are important members of our community. They feel pain, just as any other being feels pain, and they deserve compassion, kindness, and respect. Please sign this petition to urge District Attorney Robinson to prosecute the attackers who allegedly harmed this innocent possum to the fullest extent of the law and deny them the opportunity to strike again.
