CLEARWATER, Fla. — Over 73,000 people have signed a Care2 petition calling on the Florida State Bar Association to disbar Thomas Cope, a lawyer from Clearwater, after he filmed himself forcing a raccoon off his boat, presumably leaving it to drown at sea.
- Lawyer accused of forcing raccoon off boat, presumably leaving it to drown
- Thomas Cope posted video of the incident on social media, spurring anger
- Care2 petition calling for Florida Bar Association to disbar Cope
Officials say the raccoon was apparently stowed away on the boat and eventually came out once it had set sail. Cope and his friends were already 20 miles out in the Gulf when the raccoon appeared.
Cope said the raccoon was growling and hissing, and decided to video himself forcing the animal off the boat, exclaiming "so long, sucker!" as the raccoon fell off and presumably drowned at sea.
Cope posted that video on social media, which brought on an onslaught of anger from social media users, and prompted an investigation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife and the Florida Bar into Cope's conduct.
The petition also calls upon FWC to press animal cruelty charges against Cope for his actions.
“Thomas Cope's actions, whether he intended them to result in the raccoon dying or not, constitute an act of animal cruelty and he should face the consequences of his decision,” said Care2's Rebecca G. “Too often, these cases get swept under the rug, but as the social media reaction to his video illustrated, people are disgusted by his actions. That's why we're calling for Cope to be charged with animal cruelty and appropriately punished by the state bar association.”
Cope later issued an apology for his actions, and said he wished he could have returned the animal to shore.