Man Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty in NSW

Peter Smith, a 58-year-old grandfather from New South Wales, pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty after throwing a chicken named Betty White into an alligator pen at Oakvale Wildlife Park. Smith's attorney argued that he merely wanted to feed a hungry alligator, but the act was viewed as distressing and inappropriate by many, including park officials and the presiding magistrate. Betty White was a special chicken involved in the park's endangered species program, making her loss particularly significant. Witnesses, including children, were shocked by the incident, which was the first of its kind in the park's 43-year history. Smith's sentencing is scheduled for November 20, with the maximum penalty being two years' imprisonment and a fine of $24,084.