Man arrested in Melbourne after 'abhorrent' kangaroo killing

Image copyright Weibo Image caption The clip shows the man set upon the kangaroo with a knife

A man has been arrested in Melbourne after a video showing a man slashing at a wounded kangaroo's throat went viral.

The 43-year-old man has been charged with destroying protected wildlife, Australia's Channel Nine said.

Officers described the incident as "particularly abhorrent" and reportedly seized firearms and knives from the suspect's home.

Australian law provides for a maximum of five years in prison if the prosecution can prove malicious intent.

The short video clip, thought to have been filmed in the state of New South Wales and posted on Chinese social media, starts with a kangaroo lying on a hillside with an injured leg.

The animal is then approached by a man with a large hunting knife. The kangaroo kicks several times so the man eventually approaches it from behind.

Holding its tail and stepping on its back to prevent it from moving, he then repeatedly cuts its throat until the kangaroo stops moving.

The people filming are heard laughing in the background.

A matter of intent

Animal cruelty can be treated under two different legal frameworks in New South Wales, Stefania Kubowicz from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in New South Wales told the BBC:

• as a criminal offence if there is intent to make the animal suffer. The maximum penalty is a five-year prison sentence.

• under the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Act if no intent can be proven. The maximum penalty is two years in prison.

Should people come across an injured animal like the kangaroo in the video, they are urged to call the RSPCA, Wildlife Rescue or the police so that the animal can either be rescued or put down.

from BBC News - World http://ift.tt/2vManvk