Hard to know where to start with this one.
A teacher in the US state of Idaho has been charged with misdemeanour animal cruelty after he fed a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in front of his students.
Robert Crosland, a teacher at Preston Junior High School, could be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $5,000 if he’s found guilty.
USA Today reports that Crosland fed the puppy to the snapping turtle as part of a “demonstration” but doesn’t specify what on earth the teacher could possibly have been demonstrating, besides how to feed a puppy to a turtle.
A petition in Crosland’s defence already has 3,700 signatures as of Sunday morning. The person who started the petition writes “Its time to stand up for one of the best science teachers in the Preston Idaho School District.”
“As a past student I know first hand the impact he had on my life and many others. Time to show our support for the man that taught us science in a new way and truly loves his job.”
According to the BBC, his supporters claim the puppy was dying anyway.
Sadly, the turtle has also been punished for his role in the incident. The Idaho Department of Agriculture considers snapping turtles “invasive” and euthanised the animal humanely.
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