A teacher accused of feeding a live puppy to a pet snapping turtle in March is finally going to face trial. The court date is set for October 26th in Preston, Idaho, where the incident occurred. If convicted of animal cruelty, he may serve six months in jail and can be charged up to $5,000.
The junior high school science teacher, Robert Crosland, reportedly fed a recently born puppy, who was allegedly already suffering from an illness, to a turtle living in a tank in his classroom. Although outside of normal class hours, several students were present. Crosland reportedly fed the puppy to the turtle in front of three students as a kind of sick, circle of life lesson.
After learning of what happened, a local woman, Jill Parrish felt deeply disturbed and reported the incident to the police.
“Allowing children to watch an innocent baby puppy scream because it is being fed to an animal. That is violence,” Parrish told Fox 13. “That is not okay.”
After the investigation, Crosland was charged with a misdemeanor for animal cruelty for his inhumane actions but is pleading not guilty.
Many have defended Crosland, who is a popular teacher. Even some of the parents of the children who witnessed the gruesome killing have voiced their support for the teacher.
One mother of two of the boys present, Farahlyn Hansen, posted to her Facebook, writing that “NONE of the kids were upset or traumatized” and, “He is an outstanding person and teacher.”
While Crosland may have had his moments and some community members may have fond memories of him, that can’t make his current actions disappear or negate his poor decision to feed a puppy to another animal. He could have made many other choices that would have been more humane, such as taking the puppy to a veterinarian.
Yet many are unable to view the killing for what it is or recognize that Crosland’s actions require consequences. Another community member, River McKay, created a petition on Change.org in favor of Crosland, which over 3,000 people have signed. To put this in perspective, the town of Preston, Idaho only has a population of slightly over 5,000 people.
Because so many in Preston support Crosland, prosecutors tried to move the trial to a different location. They hoped that moving the trial would allow them to pull from jury members less familiar with the teacher and hopefully less biased. Despite the request, District Judge David C. Hooste prevented the trial from moving outside of Preston’s Franklin County.
To make matters worse, in the process of investigating the puppy’s death, it came to light that Crosland’s snapping turtle was actually an invasive species in Idaho. Underscoring the teacher’s lack of responsibility, he didn’t have a permit to have the invasive species, so the Idaho Department of Agriculture had to seize and euthanize the animal. The justification for killing the snapping turtle instead of releasing it was that the turtle might spread disease.
Both Crosland and Parrish, the woman who reported him, have gotten stuck in a local battle and have received threats.
“No matter what side you’re on, it doesn’t matter, but threatening me and threatening Mr. Crosland is not OK,” Parrish told the Idaho State Journal.
Though Crosland is pleading not guilty, with several student witnesses it’s clear that he did feed a puppy to a snapping turtle. Idaho’s definition of animal cruelty includes subjecting “an animal to needless suffering or inflict[ing] unnecessary cruelty,” as well as “the intentional and malicious infliction of pain, physical suffering, injury or death,” and “cruelly” killing an animal. Since Crosland obviously did all of these things, the jury should convict him at his trial in October.
For Crosland, feeding a helpless puppy who needed care, not cruelty, to a snapping turtle represented the “circle of life.” Witnessing a puppy being ripped to death by a snapping turtle sets a poor example of what we want to teach our kids. If Crosland had taken the puppy to the veterinarian, he could have taught them a more important lesson – how to be humane.
Crosland failed as a teacher when it counted the most, but maybe his life can teach his students, and his community, one more important lesson – that actions have consequences and there are some things you can’t take back. Please sign LFT’s petition to fire this teacher so students see that treating animals with love is more important than protecting this teacher’s career.
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There is some info about both robert crosland from preston, idaho and david c hooste on http://www.whitepages.com. But make sure it is the right person. Something tells me that after the trial both of those degenerate bastards went into hiding and may have even moved.
But whoever has their correct info, please share this so we can voice our concerns to them. There is no need for respect as it pertains to those POS.
Fired? He needs to be locked up. A sadist masquerading as a teacher. Using his position as a way to legitimize the pleasure he gets from feeding live animals to other animals.
Good ! About time!
OH MY, STUPID TEACHER! AND BRINGING AN INVASIVE ANIMAL TO IDAHO. MAY SHE GET THE MAXIMUM CRUELTY FOR HER STUPIDITY AND CRUELTY!
This trial has been postponed until 3-4 January! Chances are this pervert will get off as the uneducated judge David A. Hoisted DENIED change of venue! Due to this moronic teacher STILL being allowed to and is teaching, and this narrow-minded (or just stupid or poorly educated) judge says that they can find an impartial jury in Franklin County. Boy, I will NEVER VOTE for someone from eastern Idaho as they are obviously very ignorant of “the circle of life” concept being overridden by GOOD SCIENCE, i.e. heart, liver, lung transplants, artificial insemination, prosthetic limbs!
feed the prick or bitch to a hungry alligator
The support for Crosland is typical for Americans. Too many see animals as being here for our use in any way they want. People don’t care for the suffering of those who are strangers or not “their kind” are not going to feel any compassion for an animal.
As a retired teacher, I believe Crosland must be fired and never allowed to teach again or to have any animal as a pet. I would never want a person who would abuse a pet as one of my colleagues.
FEED THIS SOOOO CALLED TEACHER TOOOO A BUNCH OF BOACONSTRICKERS, RATLESNEAKS, COBRAS, AND LET’S ALL SEE HOW MUCH THIS SOOOO CALLED TEACHER LIVES IT.
That mother of 2 of the boys present that stated “NONE of the kids were upset or traumatized” doesn’t realize THAT’S the PROBLEM, and begs the question what other “circle of life lessons” her kids have been exposed to by her family as well as this teacher! Now, I’m not one to at all tell people how to raise their kids, BUT compassion, and the humane treatment of animals should be the most IMPORTANT lesson learned! Yes, animals eat each other in the wild, because they have no choice, but to intentionally feed especially a domesticated baby animal many of us keep as a pet to another animal is just unconscionable!!! And ABSURD the poor turtle was killed, I don’t believe for a minute they couldn’t have found a zoo, or reputable sanctuary to take it in! With all that said, I think the jail time IF convicted, would suffice, I DON’T think his entire life should be destroyed by firing him.
I disagree that he shouldn’t be fired. If this man thinks that it is ok to do what he did plus do it in front of children, something is wrong with him. He is teaching children that abuse is ok and it isn’t. I would not want a teacher to teach my kids that it is ok. He purposely killed a breathing, living being!
I agree Lisa.
Teacher is a PSYCHO — belongs in a rubber room — what “cycle of life?” justification applies here ? — Teacher is ridiculously absurd — he makes NO SENSE — again, Robert Crosland MUST undergo a psyche evaluation — he does NOT qualify for position of “Teacher.” — Robert Crosland is NOT rational, NOT knowledgeable, NOT compassionate — in short, he’s insane and hateful.
Response to Kristine I dont agree that Robert Crosland shouldnt be fired he needs to lose his job as go to jail as a former cop he did violate the law first by feeding a live domesticated animal and showing students what he did was right he has no right to take a living puppy and feed it to a snapping turtle and watch it suffer in pain and have a horrible death its also against the law to kill a animal didnt matter if he was a sick pup he should have brought it to a vet but were did he get this pup was it his was it found nobody knows but still it was a violation of law unless you are a licensed vet you cant kill any animal thats living so yes Robert Crosland broke the law and to teach students to kill something is wrong and violation of school policy and from what was told students were traumatized by this one student told there parent and this is how this came about but even for parents to say it was ok it wasnt ok this man teaches young people to prepare for life challenges as parents teach third kids life I believe he needs to be punished for what he did and people of Idaho need to see right from wrong with what this teacher did and how his students will follow with this ge just might be grooming the next Jeffrey dahmer so idahoians beware this is your next future of life itself may God have mercy on your souls but please this man needs to know he did was wrong and to teach kids the new morals of life
This was horrible cruelty.
A teacher must have the best interest of his students at heart. This one, with his deranged thinking, did not. Being nice doesn’t hide the fact of who he may truly be behind closed doors. He is a menace to society.