Cynthia Luise Casas charged with animal cruelty after leaving trapped skunk to die

CALIFORNIA -- A San Dimas woman has been accused of animal cruelty after a skunk she trapped died while in captivity, the Inland Valley Humane Society and SPCA reported last week.

Cynthia Luise Casas, 38, has been charged with cruelty to animals and is expected to be in court Sept. 22, according to a statement from the Humane Society. If convicted, Casas faces penalties of up to a year in jail and up to $20,000 in fines.

The charge stems from a June 17 incident at the woman’s home in the 400 block of West Second Street.

A Humane Society officer went to Casas’ home after receiving a request to relocate a skunk that was caught with a trap, the statement said.

Humane Officer Faviola Leon, who is also a wildlife expert, arrived at the location shortly after and found the skunk dead.

The trapped skunk was allegedly left in direct sunlight going against the Humane Society officer’s instructions, the statement said.

The officer had told Casas to cover the trap with a towel and to move it to a shaded area.

  

However, Cases allegedly failed to check the trap or place it in the shade on a day when the temperature reached 91 degrees, the statement said.

“Ms. Casas explained she did not want to attempt to make the animal comfortable out of fear that the skunk had fleas,” according to the statement.

A necropsy was completed and showed the skunk died as a result of being in the heat, investigator Sylvia Lemus said.

(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin - Aug 21, 2015)