The intent of this posting is to juxtapose Nigeria's treatment of its citizens (human beings) with how animals (even pests in your backyard as in this case) are treated elsewhere! Well, someone bumped some racoons with a shovel and he almost was staring down a 2 year sentence for this offense including one baby raccoon suffering a broken toe. Even I myself and some others find this interesting but can you imagine if killing a lizard in Nigeria was taken this seriously? Read the story. . .

Crown seeking lighter charges in Toronto raccoon beating case

TORONTO - The Crown is pursuing lighter charges than it could potentially seek against a Toronto man who allegedly beat a family of raccoons in his backyard.

Dong Nguyen faces charges of animal cruelty and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose in connection with an alleged attack on the raccoons in the garden of his west-end home last month.

Crown lawyers told court Wednesday they are choosing to move forward with the charges as summary offences rather than indictable charges.

Indictable offences would allow for greater punishment, including a maximum sentence of up to 10 years for the weapon charge.

Nguyen, 53, could serve a sentence of no more than 18 months if convicted of animal cruelty.

His next court date is set for Aug. 18. Nguyen did not appear in court Wednesday.

Camille Labchuk, spokeswoman with Lawyers for Animal Welfare, said the Crown should have stuck with indictable charges.

"Animal cruelty cases should generally be pursued to the full extent of the law to provide that deterrent factor and protect human public safety . . . given the strong link between animal violence and human violence," she said.

But such charges rarely result in a conviction since the Crown must prove a high level of intent to harm animals, she added.

"That often works against animals when trying to prosecute those who have committed cruelty against (animals)," said Labchuk.

Police were called early on the morning of June 1 after neighbours awoke to the sounds of a man allegedly attacking a family of raccoons with a shovel.

Animal services says one baby raccoon suffered some broken toes and was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation centre to recover.

Police don't know what happened to the other babies because the mother raccoon took them away.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version incorrectly reported that Ngyuen could serve a two-year sentence for animal cruelty

Source: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/toronto-man-due-court-face-animal-cruelty-charges-080032963.html