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