Target: Ed Brodsky, State Attorney, 12th Judicial Circuit, Sarasota County, Florida
Goal: Seek the maximum lawful penalties, a long animal-ownership ban, mandatory counseling, and restitution for the opossum allegedly launched by catapult for an online video.
A widely viewed clip reportedly shows an opossum being placed on a device and violently flung into the air for entertainment. The animal appears to hit the ground as onlookers cheer. Its ultimate condition remains unclear. Viewers described the act as cruel. They urged authorities to intervene. Local law enforcement and wildlife officials have opened an investigation into the incident.
Investigators have purportedly received multiple complaints and are working with wildlife authorities to assess potential criminal violations. The stunt, as reported, appears to involve tormenting a native wild animal purely for clicks. That detail matters. It points to deliberate harm and not a split-second mistake. It also points to premeditation since a catapult had to be assembled and staged.
Such conduct, if proven, demands a strong prosecutorial response. Accountability deters copycats. It also signals that wildlife is not content. Prosecutors should pursue the most serious sustainable charges, request a lengthy prohibition on animal possession, require counseling, and seek restitution for any veterinary or rescue costs. This petition calls for that action now.
PETITION LETTER:
State Attorney Brodsky,
We are alarmed by reports of an opossum launched by catapult for an online video and then left to fend for itself. The footage, as described, shows the animal being hurled, striking the ground, and staggering away. Authorities reportedly received multiple complaints and opened an investigation with wildlife officials.
If the evidence supports the allegations, we urge your office to charge appropriately and pursue the maximum lawful penalties. This should include a lengthy ban on possessing or handling animals, mandatory psychological counseling, and restitution tied to any wildlife response or veterinary care. The act appears to have been planned and filmed for clicks. That heightens the gravity.
A decisive outcome will deter copycats and affirm that native wildlife is not a prop. Please make this case a clear example that cruelty for views carries serious consequences.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Cody Pope
