A grandfather pleaded guilty this week to kidnapping a popular chicken named “Betty White” and then feeding her to a “hungry alligator” at a wildlife park in Australia.
Peter Smith, 58, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty against the bird — a member of the distinctive Silkie Bantam breed — following the incident which took place earlier this year. He initially denied responsibility for the act, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, plus a fine of nearly $25,000 Australian dollars.
According to court documents, Smith took the chicken out of an enclosure and hid it inside his shirt. Smith then took the chicken to an alligator enclosure and tossed it in.
Defense lawyer Bryan Wrench told the court that Smith “just wanted to feed an alligator.” He added that Smith made the alligator happy by giving it something to eat.
Magistrate Kirralee Perry chided Wrench to take matters more seriously.
Leanne Sansom, CEO of the Oakvale Wildlife Park, said Betty White was part of a special program for threatened species.
Oakvale Wildlife Park owner, Kent Sansom, also expressed how much Betty White meant to the staff.
“This is the first time in our 43 years that we have had a member of the public (allegedly) engage in such cruelty in what is an animal sanctuary,” Sansom said in a statement following Betty White’s death.
“Her quiet nature means she would not hesitate to approach a customer for some animal pellets, making her an easy target for (an alleged) ruthless perpetrator.”
Smith is scheduled to appear in court on November 20 for official sentencing.
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