Monday 7 April 2008

WOMBAT GETS NAUGHTY WITH DRONGO'S FRECKLE?!



Kate Smail

SquareOne News


Last week a New Zealand man was charged with wasting police time after he called emergency services, claiming he had been raped by a wombat. Not surprisingly, the operator was not convinced. Everyone knows you don't get wombats in New Zealand.

The man claimed he was unharmed after the incident, except for "now only being able to talk Australian." A deeply distressing affliction for any self-respecting Kiwi. He received 75 hours of community service after the defence lawyer explained that alcohol played a major part in the man's life.

This is not the first time animals have found themselves under the scrutiny of the courts; Square One brings you our favourite examples from the twisted world of animal justice.

In the United States last year, a convicted paedophile claimed his actions were the result of a deeply traumatic childhood experience, and was therefore not responsible for the crime committed. Gene Morrill told the court in Virgina that he was raped by Bigfoot as a teenager, and had suffered flashbacks ever since. The judge remained unconvinced and sentenced Morrill to twenty years.

A Florida man got more than he bargained for when he decided to shoot his unwanted puppies. Having shot and killed three of his four targets, Jerry Bradford picked up the remaining pup, which then jumped on the trigger, shooting Bradford in the wrist. Bradford survived and was promptly charged with animal cruelty. Puppy power indeed.

A woman sued her best friend after she slipped in his pet dog's urine in his kitchen and twisted her ankle. Her reasoning? If he was really her friend, he would have cleaned it up when he knew she was coming over. Unbelievably, the pair are no longer friends.

The parents of a man found naked and dead on the back of a killer whale at Sea World, Orlando, have dropped a lawsuit alleging Sea World caused his death by portraying the dangerous orca as safe and cuddly. It transpired the man was under the influence of alcohol, had broken into Sea World at night, and voluntarily jumped into the tank to play with the whale.


Two animal handlers who say they were fired for refusing to expose their breasts to a 300-pound gorilla have settled their lawsuit against the Gorilla Foundation charity. Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller claimed that Gorilla Foundation president Francine Patterson pressured them to indulge Koko the gorilla's 'nipple fetish,' as a way of bonding with the 33-year-old female. The charity denies the claims.


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