Charges have been dropped against a Bracebridge, Ont. man who was photographed bludgeoning a black bear to death last year.
The 41-year-old man was charged after he hit the bear in the head with a rock as it lay injured on the road. The bear was injured when the man hit it with his vehicle on Bethune Drive in Gravenhurst, Ont. on Nov. 3.
The beating was captured by a photographer at a local newspaper, and the photos were made public.
The Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) charged the man with causing an animal to be in distress and failing to comply with standards of care. Representatives said he failed to kill the animal using a humane method or a method that minimizes pain and distress.
However, during a closed hearing on Friday, the Crown decided to drop the charges against the man after obtaining a report from the veterinarian who conducted a post-mortem on the animal.
The vet noted that although the bear's death was gruesome, it was killed quickly.
OSPCA Agent Brad Dewar told CTV Barrie that the OSPCA respects the judicial system and follows it accordingly.
