Media Statement: New Bill to Repeal Exemption of Opossums From Cruelty Statute Fails to Solve the Problem for Wildlife

For Immediate Release:
July 15, 2015

Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382

The recent bill that is set to strike down the North Carolina General Assembly’s 2014 legalization of cruelty to opossums is a direct result of a legal challenge by PETA—a challenge that exposed the earlier law as unconstitutional. PETA has no intention of “playing ‘possum” while North Carolina legislators deny legal protections to wildlife as a favor to a local merchant. However, because this new law fails to protect opossums in the last days of 2015, PETA will continue to fight for legal protections for these animals year-round, including in opposition to the General Assembly’s recent decision to lift protections statewide.

— General Counsel to PETA, Jeffrey Kerr

For Media: Contact PETA's
Media Response Team.

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 Ingrid E. Newkirk

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE

— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind