I had to do it... it was the first thing I thought about when I read your post.
Posted on 04/03/2007 10:33:18 PM PDT by SmoothTalker
"A Half Moon Bay man who shot an ostrich to death after the flightless bird pummeled him and his friend when they trespassed on a coastal ranch was ordered released Thursday after serving five months in jail for animal abuse.
Jonathon Porter, 20 -- who prosecutors say killed for revenge after the bird humiliated him in front of women he was trying to impress -- was sentenced Thursday by Judge John Grandsaert, in effect, to time served. He was also placed on probation and ordered to attend animal-cruelty counseling."
""Apparently the young ladies expressed an interest in seeing the ostriches," Porter's attorney, James McNair Thompson, said after Thursday's hearing in San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City.
"That all sounded like a good idea until the ostrich physically attacked (McKevitt and Porter), and apparently he got the better of them.""
""And at that point, the crucial thing happened," Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said. "Apparently the girls started laughing.""
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
The article said — “With their long necks, adult male ostriches can grown up to 9 feet tall and weigh between 220 to 287 pounds, according to the San Diego Zoo. The birds typically have a 4-inch claw on each foot, and can produce a kick powerful enough to kill a lion, according to information on the zoo’s Web site.”
Well, I remember a time, back in 2006 when I took my family for a drive through a wild-life park in Texas. It was one where the animals could come up to the car and you drove through the various sections (as some of the animals had to be separate from one another).
Towards the very end, when we were about to drive out the gate (about a couple of hundred yards from the exit gate), there was an ostrich that got a look at us in the car, and then started heading over to the car. I remember my brother wanted to take a picture of him, but I had a suspicion about that ostrich, because of what I had already read about them.
That guy started running towards the car and just had that look in his eye — like “What are you guys doing here?!!”
And I remembered the form I signed in the office when we started out, that said the management was not responsible for any damage done to the cars by any of the animals. And although I drove through zebras and water buffalo and other large animals before that point, and had them right up against the car — it was *only* the ostrich that I was really worried about.
I had visions in my head of a big kick to the side panel of the car and a big repair bill. So, as he started running towards the car, I said, “I’m getting out of here!”
My brother said — “Wait, I want to take a few more pictures!” I said, “No way, that ostrich is headed right for us and I ain’t having him kick in the side of the car...”
And off I drove with the ostrich running right behind me, all the way to the exit gate and across the bars of the cattle guard, stopping right at the fence and staring us down.
I just knew that ostrich was after us, and sure enough he was...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Johnny Cash picked a fight with one while high once and ended up with broken ribs. Or so the legend goes.
1) The girls should not have suggested it.
2) The guys should not have gone along.
3) The ostrich should not have attacked members of a species with, from the ostrich's perspective, unfathomable magical powers.
4) The girls should not have laughed.
5) The guys should not have taken it out on the ostrich.
I have no comment
I heard he shot it. In Reno, I believe. Just to watch it die.
Regards.
ROFL...
We used to raise ostriches...they are mean birds.
They can break bones with their kick - we were told that if one started to attack us to get on the ground as they only kick out.
They never liked me - the days I had to feed and water them, I had to carry a rake and hold it up high...they were afraid of things taller than them - so they are dumb, and holding the rake made them think I was taller so I could feed and water and only get a little grief from them.
Expensive animals, I’m sure the owner was pleased to find his ostrich dead.
This is already one of the funniest posts I’ve seen in a very long time. :-)
God only knows where it could go...lol...
Can you imagine what it will be like for that guy when he applies for a job and has to explain why he was in prison? Bosses won’t react well to “I got a bird back for showing me up in front of some ladies I was trying to score with.”
I had to do it... it was the first thing I thought about when I read your post.
Of course he would be after you: why did you want to pluck one of his tail feathers?
LOL! Where were you on the night in question..?!
Approach at your own risk...
Cash relapsed into addiction after a serious abdominal injury in 1983 caused by an unusual incident in which he was kicked and critically wounded by an ostrich he kept on his farm.
"Say, would you ladies like to see my ........ ostrich"?
(giggle) "Do you really have an ostrich"?
"Sure, wanna' see him"?
"Can you get him out and we can play with him"?
You said — “Of course he would be after you: why did you want to pluck one of his tail feathers?”
Believe me, he didn’t get within 30 yards of me before I was “outta there”! :-)
Regards,
Star Traveler
P.S. — Maybe it was his cousin’s feathers that I have in my duster at home...
“5) The guys should not have taken it out on the ostrich.”
Should have shot the girls.
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