State v. Terry Shkurka, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League.

Shkurka admitted trapping an opossum and then holding the cage down in a rubber tub full of water to drown it. He said he has disposed of nuisance animals in this fashion before, and that sometimes he had to put them back in the water to finish the job. Dr. Allison Lash reported that drowning an animal in this fashion could take 5 to 10 minutes, and involves significant suffering.

The Defendant was found guilty of animal cruelty. Shkurka, who had no other criminal record, was required to forfeit the trap, pay a fine of $250 and costs, complete a a humane education course, and remain on active probation for a year. If he fails to complete any condition, he faces 90 days in jail.