Fox News: Teacher charged for feeding sick puppy to snapping turtle

Police charged an Idaho teacher with misdemeanor animal cruelty after the teacher allegedly fed a sick puppy to a snapping turtle in front of several middle school students in the town of Preston, Fox News reports.

Robert Crosland, a Preston Junior High School science teacher, faces up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine if convicted.

EastIdahoNews.com reports the turtle was “humanely euthanized” after being seized. The reptiles are considered invasive species in Idaho, the news outlet reports.

Fox News reports Crosland allegedly fed the puppy to the turtle in front of three boys after school hours on March 7. The disabled pup was drowned in the turtle’s tank in front of the students before it was fed to the animal.

Administrators at the Idaho school released a statement, saying “Preston School District was made aware of a regrettable circumstance involving some of the biological specimens at Preston Jr High. The event occurred well after students had been dismissed and was not part of any school-directed program.”