A New Zealand grandfather, Peter Smith, was denied Australian citizenship after being charged with animal cruelty for throwing a beloved chicken, Betty White, into an alligator pen at a wildlife park.
Judge Timothy Gertelman revealed that Smith initially lacked insight into the severity of his actions but later acknowledged his wrongdoing. During an appeal in Newcastle District Court, the judge reduced Smith’s sentence to a $2000 fine while upholding his conviction.
Smith, 58, expressed remorse in a court letter, claiming to understand the consequences of his actions. A psychological report indicated that his upbringing in rural New Zealand, where killing animals for food was common, contributed to his behavior. However, the judge stated that this background did not justify his actions.
Originally, Smith had been sentenced to a nine-month intensive correction order with 100 hours of community service. Magistrate Justin Peach, who initially ruled on the case, described the act as having an element of sadism, as Smith had watched an alligator kill the chicken for his own amusement.
Betty White, a Chinese silkie bantam, had played a crucial role in the park’s endangered species breeding program. The incident caused distress among park staff, and the magistrate deemed it a mid-range act of animal cruelty.
Although Smith’s conviction remains, Judge Gartelmann noted that it was unlikely to affect his fresh application for Australian citizenship.
