A 41-year-old man who he hit a bear with his car and then beat the animal to death with a rock is now facing animal cruelty charges, the Ontario SPCA said.
Officials allege that the accused was driving along Bethune Drive in the cottage country community of Gravenhurst on Nov. 3 when the accident occurred. A man was witnessed leaving his vehicle and beating the bear with a rock repeatedly, investigators said.
“Any time large wildlife are struck by a motor vehicle on the road, the driver should contact local police as soon as possible,” SPCA senior inspector Steve Toy said in a statement released Nov. 25. “If the animal needs to be humanely euthanized, police services are trained to respond to the needs of the situation.”
The charges under the provincial SPCA Act include causing an animal to be in distress and failure to kill an animal by a method that is humane and minimizes the pain and distress.
The accused, who was not identified but is from Bracebridge, Ont., is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 28, 2014.
h/t CTV Photo Yukon government
