Saturday, December 29, 2012

Possum Drop "Dropped" in North Carolina


Brasstown having possum drop, without live possum

Dec 27 2012 

BRASSTOWN, N.C. (AP) — A New Year's Eve possum drop that attracts thousands of people to a tiny western North Carolina town will go on this year, with one big change: It won't involve a live possum.
In a dignified display for the ethical treatment of animals, the tiny town of Brasstown reported that it would not use a live possum for the event but would substitute some other, as yet undecided, object.
Of course it helped that the town was under court order not to use a hapless possum to lure tourists to the town.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reports (http://avlne.ws/W3BJnk) Thursday that Brasstown will have the event Dec. 31 but with a different guest of honor.
During past drops, the possum was suspended in a see-through box covered with tinsel and lowered to the ground at midnight.
Last month, a judge ruled a state agency lacked authority to issue a permit for the drop. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had sued, calling the event illegal and cruel.
Clay Logan has been doing the drop for years. He says he's considering using a stuffed animal or maybe road kill this year.  Some animal lovers urged that Logan drop himself instead.

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