Relatives of a Wyoming man who paraded a wolf through a small-town bar before shooting it dead are rushing to his defense, as locals have expressed frustration at being fined just $250.
Cody Roberts, 42, was cited and fined for being in possession of the live wolf in the town of Daniel on Feb. 29, although he has not yet been formally identified.
Part of the storm of indignation has thus been directed at the agency that handed down the sentence, while photographs of Roberts harming the animal continue to circulate.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department says it is in a delicate position, saying statues connected to such cases make it difficult to release information.
Amid this fierce public outcry, Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a relative of Roberts, has expressed her support. In a social media post published Thursday, commenters rallied around her and her questionable cause.
Cody Roberts, 42, posed with the exhausted animal, flashing a radiant smile as he grabbed it by the neck and lifted a can of beer.
Amid this fierce public outcry, Roberts’ relative Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, seen here jokingly recreating the scene in a wolf skin, has expressed her support.
In a social media post published Thursday, commenters rallied behind her (and his) questionable cause.
“I absolutely support you, Cody Roberts,” one of those viewers wrote, responding to a comment from Ivie-Roberts that expressed her own “love and support.”
‘Hope all is well. I’ll say prayers…’ added another, while others posted Bitmojis sending ‘hugs.’
‘I agree Juana! “I love and support Cody,” someone else added.
‘Supporting Cody!!’ exclaimed another.
‘I am with him!!! I’ll get the duct tape.
The original post, four days after it was published, garnered more than 422 likes and 63 comments, most of them expressing sympathy for Roberts’ plight.
Others, however, conveyed just the opposite, as the director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department told Cowboy State Daily on Monday that the agency is keeping no secrets about the alleged tormenting and killing of the wolf.
‘Cruelty should never be tolerated!’ exclaimed one person of that school of thought, while others claimed that it is legal in Sublette County to hunt such animals.
‘There is no reason for such foolish behavior!’ the commentator added.
The post has garnered more than 422 likes and 63 comments, most of them expressing sympathy for Roberts’ situation.
Not long after this photo was taken, witnesses said Roberts dragged or carried the animal through the Green River Bar (pictured) as patrons watched.
“It seems to me (as a complete outsider) that he made a bad decision and will probably regret it,” another complained. ‘Let those who are free from sin cast the first stone.’
A petition demanding harsher punishment for Roberts also circulated and received 2,242 signatures.
In it, the authors explain how a one-year-old wolf was tortured and murdered at the hands of the hunter on February 29.
“Cody Roberts received a minuscule fine of $250 for ‘being in possession of a live wolf,'” the petition recalled.
‘However, the fine for animal cruelty in the state of Wyoming is up to 2 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.’
The authors then point out how ‘