California man sentenced to 45 days’ jail for giving alcohol to hawk
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Screenshots of the video shared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife had shown the bird, described as a juvenile Cooper’s hawk, drinking from a green can of liquid.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH
WASHINGTON – A man in California was sentenced to 45 days in jail for animal cruelty after footage showed him giving alcohol to a protected hawk, US media reported on Feb 25.
Cesar Gustavo Diaz captured the bird at a park in South Whittier, Los Angeles County, before pouring an alcoholic drink into its mouth, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement on Feb 24.
Screenshots of the video shared by the department show the bird, described as a juvenile Cooper’s hawk, drinking from a green can of liquid.
Diaz, a convicted felon, was charged with misdemeanour animal cruelty and capturing or confining wildlife.
He was sentenced to 45 days in jail, 12 months of summary probation, a five-year ban on possessing animals and a 10-year firearm prohibition.
Court records show that Diaz served 44 of the 45 days ahead of sentencing, partly due to good behaviour, NBC News reported.
He must also pay a US$220 (S$278) fine, perform community labour and attend an animal cruelty counselling programme. AFP
