Raccoon killing draws interest of animal welfare group (Update)

Athens Banner-Herald ^ | 12/31/03 | Lori Johnston

[Holly_P]

ATHENS, Ga. — The Humane Society of the United States is asking for a thorough investigation into a report that three University of Georgia fraternity brothers beat, skinned and ate a raccoon.

"The senseless killing of a raccoon is certainly a crime in Georgia. It's a violent crime," Ann Chynoweth, a lawyer for the animal welfare group, said Wednesday. "We want it to be investigated."

The men had spotted the raccoon behaving erratically outside the Phi Kappa Psi house on Dec. 12. One hit it with construction pylon and shot it with a pellet gun in the fraternity's parking lot, Athens-Clarke County Animal Control officials said. Another skinned the raccoon, and a third cooked and ate some of its meat.

At least one fraternity member was treated for possible exposure to rabies, which can be fatal if left untreated.

No animal cruelty charges have been pressed against the men. Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General Ralph Powell, who will determine whether or not to file charges, did not return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

The three members involved will go before the fraternity's grievance committee after UGA's spring semester begins, said Larry Bales, fraternity president. They face possible sanctions from reprimands to expulsion from the fraternity.

"It was an isolated incident that happened to happen on our property," Bales said Wednesday. "Three members were out in the back parking lot acting foolish. We don't condone that type of activity."

The Humane Society has written a letter to UGA Interfraternity Council saying that those involved in killing the raccoon should be expelled from the fraternity, at the very least, Chynoweth said.

"The boys-will-be-boys excuse ... is certainly not a defense to animal cruelty," Chynoweth said.

A UGA Greek system official did not return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

[WackyKat]

Since the object wasn't to torture this creature, but rather to dispatch it by judicious application of brute force, nobody can make a case for "animal cruelty."

Unless you were there,you have no idea what the object was, or exactly how the animal was treated.

If they were just trying to put the animal out of its misery because they thought it was sick, why would they have skinned and eaten it afterwards?

Even drunken frat boys aren't stupid enough to skin and eat a sick and possibly rabid animal.

Sounds like the animal was mistreated and killed just for the "sport" of it.

[skip2myloo]

"Even drunken frat boys aren't stupid enough to skin and eat a sick and possibly rabid animal."

Well, I beg your pardon - that they did so appears to be the undisputed facts of this report.

Didn't you ever watch Animal House ??

This thread is killing me with laughter. What do you suppose the "good ol' boys" down in Georgia think of this article ??

[Bonaparte]

"Unless you were there,you have no idea what the object was, or exactly how the animal was treated."

...and yet, not having been there yourself, you're not the least bit reluctant to trumpet your own conclusions about this incident. In discussing these quaint news articles we can usually only go by what's related in the article. In this article and a previous one posted here, the information given favored the conclusion that the object was to put this animal down, not to torture it. While I don't believe these boys were motivated by compassion, the result was exactly the same as it would have been had animal control responded, ie. quick death.

Can you seriously claim that you have "no idea what the object was" when these guys pounded away at this small animal with a construction pylon and repeatedly shot it? How tough do you think a dying raccoon is?

[WackyKat]

Well, I beg your pardon - that they did so appears to be the undisputed facts of this report.

I see you missed my point, which was that they didn't know it was sick, and didn't kill it for that reason

If they had known it was sick, they wouldn't have eaten it.

They beat the animal to death just for the "fun" if it eaten it.

[WackyKat]

In discussing these quaint news articles we can usually only go by what's related in the article. In this article and a previous one posted here, the information given favored the conclusion that the object was to put this animal down, not to torture it.

My conclusions are much more supported by the facts than yours.

You expect people to believe these yahoos killed the raccoon because it was sick and then proceeded to skin and eat it.

The fact that they skinned and ate it makes it much more likely that they didn't know it was sick at all and killed it for sadistic pleasure.

But go on, keep defending the idiots

[cars for sale]

know why there has never been a sighting of a Chupicabra in Louisiana ? Cause those cajuns can cook anything...hehe

[Bonaparte]

"You expect people to believe these yahoos killed the raccoon because it was sick..?"

Learn to read...

Bonaparte: "While I don't believe these boys were motivated by compassion..."

"...much more likely that they didn't know it was sick at all."

The article posted previously described the raccoon as acting erratically, as exhibiting clear signs of illness. No witness questioned this.

"My conclusions are much more supported by the facts than yours."

As the linked article attests, your conclusion that these boys didn't know there was something wrong with this animal are not in keeping with the reported facts.

[skip2myloo]

I wasn't trying to divine the essence of their motivation, whether it was intended as cruel sport or a humane act of mercy.

I'm just trying to discuss, with as much humor as possible, what they actually did - they beat to death a sick raccoon, skinned and ate it.

Regardless of their motivation - I'll grant you it is fairly depraved behavior - but, not so unusal for probably drunken frat brothers. I also don't know what they knew or didn't know and when they did or didn't know it.

But, to paraphrase another famous Georgian, 'Frankly my dear, I don't give a 'coons *$$.'

[Leatherneck_MT]

If I'm not mistaken, coons are considered rodents or vermin in most states. IS there a "Raccoon" season? I know there's not in Montana, we shoot and skin or trap at will.

[WackyKat]

The men had spotted the raccoon behaving erratically outside the Phi Kappa Psi house on Dec. 12.

"The men " referred to here were the ones who killed the raccoon- they are the only ones described in the article as witnesses to the incident

Of course they made up a story as to why they killed the animal-after they got caught they needed to justify their action

I ask you again- do you honestly believe they knew it was sick-possibly rabid, and still handled it and ate it?

As someone who grew up in Georgia, I can tell you it is common knowledge that raccoons carry rabies.

[dljordan]

Raccoons aren't carrion eaters to my knowledge. They sure love corn though. They certainly wouldn't eat a dead Peta person.

[wardaddy]

Mine eat anything I throw out the back door. Granted they are a hair more discriminating than possums and skunks.

They are the undisputed masters at getting into garbage cans with some rank refuse in it.

[just looking]

Before anyone else calls these guys "good ol boys", you might want to check out that frat.

[skip2myloo]

I wasn't referring to the frat brothers as 'good ol' boys.'

Rather I was referring to the good ol' boys in the North Georgia Hills that likely would be reading the Athens newspaper where this article appeared.

[Bonaparte]

"The men " referred to here were the ones who killed the raccoon- they are the only ones described in the article as witnesses to the incident.

You still need to learn to read. From the article I linked you to in post 47:

"According to animal control, officers were called to the fraternity house at 398 S. Milledge Ave. to investigate a complaint of animal cruelty on Dec. 12. Witnesses told the officers that the erratically behaving raccoon was found near the frat house Dumpster."

Clearly, the frat brothers were not the only witnesses, as you've falsely claimed. It's right there in black and white.

"Of course they made up a story as to why they killed the animal-after they got caught they needed to justify their action."

This is pure fantasy on your part. Nothing in either article indicates that the frat boys lied about anything. If you're going to argue, at least argue from the available facts instead of making them up as you go along.

do you honestly believe they knew it was sick-possibly rabid, and still handled it and ate it?

I "honestly believe" that anyone showing the poor judgment these three showed, could have equally poor judgment in other matters. Frat boys do all sorts of risky things. For example, they have been known to drink on a dare until they die of alcoholic toxicity. You are assuming that they would all of sudden act prudently after just having acted recklessly. How logical is that?

[festus]

But would an animal welfare group killing draw the interest of racoons ?

Inquiring minds want to know.......

[skip2myloo]

In Georgia, raccoons are game animals.

http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=300&txtPage=2

Raccoon

Northern Zone October 15 - February 29

Southern Zone October 15 - February 29

Limits: Northern Zone: 1 per day

Southern Zone: 3 per day

A quick search didn't tell me much about methods, but they can be trapped, hunted and hunted with dogs at night.

Because I assume the frat house was in the city limits, discharging a firearm there probably would've been illegal and these boys had to resort to some other weapon.

[wardaddy]

Actually Coon Season in Georgia runs from 10-15 till the end of February so these bwanaas killed the coon in season.

maybe soft folks have issue with how it was killed or because they ate it or where it was killed or all of the above.

my own coons know I toss out leftovers for them but they also know if I catch them in my garbage and they see me coming out the door with my .177 pellet pistol in my hand that they are bout to get buttstung. If I let the Doberman out they know they are done for unless they can make the nearest tree.

they are damned smart. I had some roosting in my chimney space squalling all night. I tried everything and finally just went to a co-op and bout a rubber edged old trap (live traps hadn't done diddley) and I got one and he of course chewed off his foot and made a getaway. I still see him about at times...old tripod..getting a bit long in the tooth now like me..lol....but they have never gone back in my chimney crawl space....never again.

Another time a big boar and his posse confronted me on my houseboat and the big guy took a hunk out of my hand after I tried to shoo them off the cans. I cleft him.

I've a long love-hate relationship with coons.

[PAR35]

They can be killed only during legal hunting season and hours, and in specified manners.

It does appear that they were in season.

Raccoon

* Northern Zone (one per day limit): Oct. 15-Feb. 15.

* Southern Zone (three per day limit): Oct. 15-Feb. 15.
http://www.augusta.com/stories/081801/hun_dates.shtml

And, guess what - they CAN be hunted at night.

"raccoons, opossums, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and feral hogs may be hunted at night."

Link to PDF hunting regs here;
http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/displaycontent.asp?txtDocument=300

[Rightone]

I just had to read this thread since last week, someone dumped appx. 20 skinned raccoons with their feet sticking straight up in the air and frozen for about 1 mile along the rural road I live on. It will take all winter for the other animals to eat the ugly frozen carcasses. My wife says it really distracts from our home, having skinned raccoons all up and down the road. Guess I'm gonna have to be the one to clean them up.

At least if they're gonna skin 'em, don't dispose of them along the roadways!

Which brings me back to this stupid woman who wants to prosecute these kids for killing a RACCOON... Sheesh. Wonder what she would do if she found out I poison rats and mice out in the barn?