Mitchell, South Dakota – A video, uploaded to social media by a man named Jonathon Wilson, has sparked an animal cruelty investigation. The Facebook video, showing a caged squirrel allegedly being drowned, was shared with the Mitchell Police Department on October 8 and then referred to the Davison County Sheriff for an investigation.
In the video, Wilson explains that squirrels have been eating his apples. He mentions capturing seven so far and shows a large garbage or recycling bin full of water where he will give the caged squirrel a “swimming lesson.” He drops the caged squirrel into the water and says that it, “will run around for a while but after that he will be finished.”
The sheriff’s office investigation findings have been forwarded to the State’s Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether South Dakota’s animal cruelty laws apply to wildlife in this case and whether criminal charges are warranted.
As reported by Cowboy State Daily, when questioned about the caged squirrels being plunged into the water, he responded, that he doesn’t know that “anything was drowned.” Adding, “That’s an assumption people are making,” Wilson said. “I said I’m putting him in for a bath and then I removed him after his bath was over.”
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