19 August 2009

Possum Mutilators of Ainslie

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[Update – RSPCA ACT has followed on below with the results of what occurred]
[First Filed August 18, 2009 @ 23:38]

RSPCA ACT has put out a statement asking for any witnesses to a number of possum bashings in the Ainslie area on Tuesday afternoon.

    “Late Tuesday afternoon a number of possums were brought to RSPCA by
    government rangers. All were female brush tail possums and all were
    discovered in a park near Ainslie Primary School, in Donaldson and
    Doonkuna St Ainslie. Possums were examined by RSPCA veterinary staff.

    “The possums were all found within 10 metres of each other. Vet
    examination has shown that they have been savagely beaten to death,
    presumably last night. All three were Joey carrying females. It
    appears that the young have been forcibly removed from their pouches
    and teats. Our staff searched the park and found one Joey barely alive
    which has since died. Two joeys are currently unaccounted for.

    “This is a despicable and sickening act of deliberate cruelty and we
    are pleading for someone to come forward who may have seen or heard
    something on Monday evening.”

    Anyone with information can call RSPCA on 1300 4 777 22 or the local police.

[Updated – August 19, 2009 @17:38]


    Further details on findings regarding possum deaths in Ainslie first
    reported yesterday…

    ACT government vets at TAMS underwent an extensive post mortem today.
    Results have shown “extended ill treatment prior to the death” of the
    animals. The animal’s injuries included “drag injuries”, “one has been
    dragged by the tail [or back legs] across hard ground” and “one has
    been tied by a front leg/arm and dragged or swung around”.

    All the possums had “multiple and severe upper body, spinal and facial
    fractures as well as internal injuries.”
    “Needless to say the possums have suffered greatly at the hands of
    their attackers prior to their deaths.”
    The one small Joey recovered had “sustained heavy fractures to the
    spine, jaw and legs, front and rear”. Evidence shows a “shockingly
    brutal and sustained attack on the animals, possibly by more than one
    person.”
    The matter is currently under joint investigation by RSPCA and TAMS
    with the full support of the AFP.
    Two young joeys are still unaccounted for and if still alive would be
    in grave need of specialist attention by now.
    It is illegal to kill a wild animal under the Nature Conservation Act (ACT).
    Aggravated animal cruelty in the ACT carries with a maximum fine of
    $20,000 and or two years in jail.
    Anyone with any information can contact Crimestoppers, RSPCA, TAMS or the AFP.

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I have to say I’ve been largely disappointed with the rangers. I made another report to them last year when several local possums became imprisoned under our flats when Dept Housing decided to lock them all in- PERMANENTLY!. The male ranger I initially spoke to couldn’t be less interested and told me what I had reported was ‘highly unlikely’! I eventually had to resolve the issue myself as my cat was locked under there with them! I was told that if I was going to receive any assistance at all it would not be until AFTER the weekend, 3 days later.!
On the couple of occasions I requested assistance in rescuing injured wildlife they’ve left me waiting all day with the animal- the most recent I took the day off work- only to never appear, or call, despite my having left my mobile phone number.
I must add that I’ve also dealt with some female rangers who have been extremely helpful-very much appreciated- they’re definitely not ALL bad. Its just a worry when the fate of some animals depends entirely on who you get at the end of the line.

To correct my comment above; I meant to say 10 possums went missing within a ’10 meter’ radius, of my place, over a week long period. I was trying to come up with a conservative estimate but 30 meters is just ridiculous exaggeration!

The only thought that brings me some comfort is that there is a special place in hell for people who commit such acts.

I-filed said :

lizt @ 37, that is very disturbing. Such a person might end up killing human beings. I hope the ACT Police, not just the rangers, are investigating this as a serious issue in terms of risk to humans as well as the critters. I think it’s way more than a rangers matter – the police (naturally enough) regard animal cruelty as indicating a psychopath.

There is a lot of research out there about the how people progress from cruelty to animals to violence against humans. If you know someone who has the sort of mindset or attitude that it’s ok to harm animals, be afraid – they need serious psychological intervention.

I might add that both times I pulled over to rescue the dog and the cockatoo, other drivers also pulled over to assist. Unfortunately whoever hit the animals drove off. A lady stopped and gave me an old jumper from her car so I could pick up the cockatoo without it biting me. Its good to know there are people around who will stop for an injured animal and assist. I don’t think there is a shortage of kind people, but there are a few mental people out there who seem to take pleasure in harming others.

lizt said :

FINALLY this issue is getting some attention!! I live in Currong Flats and last week found a decapitated possum next to my block, near Donaldson St, which looked like all its fur had been burnt or grazed off, as though it had been run over and carved up- Ill spare you all the horrible details but it had clearly been mutilated by a HUMAN. I occasionally find dead possums which have been attacked by dogs, (a couple of times near the little park mentioned above), but this was NOT a dog attack! I called the rangers last year when no less than 10 or so local possums, which all lived within a 30 meter radius of my flat, disappeared over the span of 1 week!
There are many possums living between Currong Flats and the little park featured in this case and someone has been targeting them for quite some time now. I suspect the reason all the victims described were females in this instance is because they were taken directly from their nests or from one of the possum boxes in that area; males tend to wander and go missing, get hit by cars etc, but females tend to stay in the area where they were born and rarely walk on the ground keeping them relatively safe from predators/accidents.
I hadn’t ment to write so much- I’m just so angry about this. That it has been left to continue for so long now.

Did you report the possum that you found last week? The RSPCA have been putting out media releases fairly often lately about possums (Poisonings in Dickson and Downer) but I don’t remember seeing anything about that one?

If you have any idea who might be responsible, I’m sure they would love to hear from you

lizt @ 37, that is very disturbing. Such a person might end up killing human beings. I hope the ACT Police, not just the rangers, are investigating this as a serious issue in terms of risk to humans as well as the critters. I think it’s way more than a rangers matter – the police (naturally enough) regard animal cruelty as indicating a psychopath.

lizt said :

I called the rangers last year when no less than 10 or so local possums, which all lived within a 30 meter radius of my flat, disappeared over the span of 1 week!

I think, it may be a good idea if you reported this to the police in light of these new cases… If that’s still going on and you even know in what area, then there’s a chance they catch them sickos…

Timberwolf657:06 am 20 Aug 09

What a bunch of wankers, I tell you what, I hope they catch these bastards and hang them in the streets so people can walk past and beat the crap out of them….if only.
This makes me wild with anger as I love animals and don’t like hearing of this sort of thing.
Some people are just wrong and don’t deserve to share this earth with animals.
May they be caught and rot in hell.

FINALLY this issue is getting some attention!! I live in Currong Flats and last week found a decapitated possum next to my block, near Donaldson St, which looked like all its fur had been burnt or grazed off, as though it had been run over and carved up- Ill spare you all the horrible details but it had clearly been mutilated by a HUMAN. I occasionally find dead possums which have been attacked by dogs, (a couple of times near the little park mentioned above), but this was NOT a dog attack! I called the rangers last year when no less than 10 or so local possums, which all lived within a 30 meter radius of my flat, disappeared over the span of 1 week!
There are many possums living between Currong Flats and the little park featured in this case and someone has been targeting them for quite some time now. I suspect the reason all the victims described were females in this instance is because they were taken directly from their nests or from one of the possum boxes in that area; males tend to wander and go missing, get hit by cars etc, but females tend to stay in the area where they were born and rarely walk on the ground keeping them relatively safe from predators/accidents.
I hadn’t ment to write so much- I’m just so angry about this. That it has been left to continue for so long now.

Paint their balls with blood and release the starved weasels..

Good idea but wouldn’t work – these cowards have no balls.

Auntyem – I know how you feel – there’s nothing worse than knowing something awful has happened and you’ve been tucked up in bed and not heard a thing. It can make you feel very angry and vulnerable.

If you hear or see anything, just call the police and never go outside to confront these people. Please…

This cowardly disgusting attack happened very close to my house. I’m absolutely sickened by this, and concerned that I didn’t hear anything unusual on Monday night/Tuesday morning.

From now on I’ll be keeping a close watch on things and I’d like to say I’ll beat the scumbags to an inch of their lives if I catch them, but I’m too old now to take on an ice junkie or serial killer in the making.

I really hope they catch these freaks (and the ones who killed the sheep in Lyneham) before they move on to bigger prey – or get caught in the act by someone younger, fitter and faster than myself.

I-filed said :

Granny said :

What makes a person do that? Is it a feeling of power?

I suspect it’s ice psychosis. Some lawyer guy in eastern sydney was doing hideous things to rabbits while he was on methamphetamine a few years ago.

In that case it’s perfectly fine. In fact those poor people should be given medals for the hardships they’ve endured, what with their drug habits and bad childhoods.

These bastards should be strung up by their balls and tortured too. Typical of inbred uneducated youths who have nothing better to do but pick on innocent animals. I hope they get caught and severly punished….pricks.

Granny said :

What makes a person do that? Is it a feeling of power?

I suspect it’s ice psychosis. Some lawyer guy in eastern sydney was doing hideous things to rabbits while he was on methamphetamine a few years ago.

GardeningGirl5:34 pm 19 Aug 09

Lilli said :

Secret Squirrel said :

Obviously you guys have never had possums having nightly sprint races in your roof at 3am!!!

I really hope you weren’t insinuating that this type of behaviour is acceptable due to the noise that possums can make traipsing roofs etc….

Hire a possum trap and have them relocated, don’t the RSPCA offer such a service? NO EXCUSE for what was done!

Yep, the world needs more people like H1NG0.

H1NG0 said :

Not nice at all. I don’t understand how anyone could intentionally harm an animal like that.

On a similar note I took an injured Cockatoo to the vet the other day in Gungahlin. I think it was hit by a car and it was standing on the road near a bus bay unable to move and was almost certainly going to get cleaned up by a bus. Poor thing, I think it had a broken leg and possibly a wing as well. Its the second time I have had to rescue an injured animal on Mirrabei Drive, the last time it was a dog.

Good on you H1ng0!! there needs to be more people like you in this world.

Not nice at all. I don’t understand how anyone could intentionally harm an animal like that.

On a similar note I took an injured Cockatoo to the vet the other day in Gungahlin. I think it was hit by a car and it was standing on the road near a bus bay unable to move and was almost certainly going to get cleaned up by a bus. Poor thing, I think it had a broken leg and possibly a wing as well. Its the second time I have had to rescue an injured animal on Mirrabei Drive, the last time it was a dog.

disgusting and sickening. how anyone could do such a thing and sleep at night is beyond me. there is NO excuse whatsoever for doing something like this, i hope the court comes down on them like a ton of bricks. i have half a mind to attend their court hearing when they get caught and tell them what complete &!^@&^@!&^(! sad-sacks they are.

the final thing i will say is KARMA.

sunshine said :

absolutely DISGRACEFUL! hope they find the mongrels who did this and sent them to prison

Well if the Canberra Law system is anything to go by you can murder a human being and get off with it, so I doubt that they will even get a slap on the wrist if they are caught. Damn shame if you ask me!

What makes a person do that? Is it a feeling of power?

Secret Squirrel said :

Obviously you guys have never had possums having nightly sprint races in your roof at 3am!!!

I really hope you weren’t insinuating that this type of behaviour is acceptable due to the noise that possums can make traipsing roofs etc….

I don’t even know what I would do as the person responsible for punishing the perpetrators of such a disgustingly heinous crime.

Pommy bastard10:37 am 19 Aug 09

There is no justice suitable to be administered to these cowards, which is allowed with our system.

I hope they develop a conscience so they have to live with the realisation of what disgusting worthless pieces of dog excrement they are, and find the courage to do something for society.

Serial killers in the making.

Hey – come one now – whoever did this obviously needs help!

GardeningGirl9:49 am 19 Aug 09

For what they did they deserve to be locked up. Also worrying is what such people can progress further to do.

Locationwise, this is close to Lyneham where not so long ago they stabbed the poor sheepies to death that were part of the Lyneham school. Since not many elements of society would be able to carry out such deeds, chances are that it’s the same bunch/person in this case. So there’s some sick f*cks on the streets out there, and I do hope they get them before animal killing doesn’t excite them anymore and they move on to “bigger and better things”…

Secret Squirrel9:26 am 19 Aug 09

Obviously you guys have never had possums having nightly sprint races in your roof at 3am!!!

Thumper I meant Why??? as in why why why would someone do this.

Disgusting people. Absolutely horrible.

why wish them a cushy spell in the AMC? I hope that they are caught doing this in NSW. Then they will rot.

They won’t get locked up. And if they get a guilty verdict, chances are it will be set aside or whatever the legal process is for letting a person off with a slap on the wrist. We have seen too many cases of animal cruelty in Canberra where the proof has been overwhelming that the person was guilty and nothing happens. Postcode justice, thy name is Canberra.

What could a Possum do to deserve such barbaric treatment? I call “lex talionis” on these fools.

Hells_Bells748:33 am 19 Aug 09

Oh even idiots can usually find better things to do! These ‘things’ were purely evil!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy8:19 am 19 Aug 09

Typical of idiots with nothing better to do. It takes a small and pathetic human to do something like this.

Why???

Hells_Bells748:00 am 19 Aug 09

How very BIG of them to pick on little possums, hex on them!

I don’t know whether to be angry or sad or just despair.

absolutely DISGRACEFUL! hope they find the mongrels who did this and sent them to prison

That is absolutely disgusting. I hope they catch whoever did this, lock them up and let them rot.

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