Tourist pleads guilty after throwing a chicken named Betty White into an alligator pond

An Australian park guest pleaded guilty to removing a chicken from its enclosure and throwing it to its death in an alligator-infested pond at Oakvale Farm and Fauna World in Salt Ash, New South Wales, in January 2024.

According to the Australian Associated Press (AAP), the guest – Peter Smith – reached over a concrete rock wall in a sanctuary on the farm to grab a white Chinese bantam chicken named Betty White. He then hid the animal in his shirt as he walked to the alligator enclosure before throwing the beloved chicken into a pond where the reptiles live.

Court documents said that the moment Betty White touched the water, two alligators “immediately charged toward the bird, with one of them grabbing the bird in its mouth, killing it instantly.”

The incident shocked guests, who immediately informed staff about the incident. Park owner Leanne Sansom later found security footage of Smith throwing the chicken to his death and shared it with park staff in an effort to track him down.

However, a few days after the incident, Smith reportedly went to the Singleton police station to make a formal statement claiming he had good intentions. He told authorities that he threw Betty White “with the intent of feeding the due alligator.” [to] his living conditions.”

Smith's defense attorney, Bryan Wrench, claimed to the outlet that he “just wanted to feed a hungry alligator,” adding that about 750 million chickens are killed every year. Wrench's comments downplaying his client's actions did nothing to assuage Judge Kiralee Perry's concerns.

“These are serious allegations,” she told Wrench on Tuesday (September 24), underscoring the fact that Smith could now face the maximum sentence for serious animal cruelty in New South Wales. If found guilty, Smith could face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $24,084.

Smith will reportedly return to court to face his trial on November 20.

“This is the first time in our 43 years that we have had a member of the public [allegedly] “To commit such cruelty in an animal shelter,” Kent Sansom, Leanne’s husband and co-owner of Oakvale Farm, said in a statement.

“Betty White was hand-raised in the park and played a crucial role in our endangered species breeding program for the curlew and other species, providing surrogacy to the chicks,” he continued.

“Her calm demeanor means she wouldn’t hesitate to ask a customer for some animal pellets, making her an easy target for a ruthless perpetrator.”

Oakvale Wildlife Park was founded in November 1979 by Kent's mother and father Jeff and Elaine Sansom, who later passed it on to him in 1995. Throughout its 43 years, it has remained a family-run business, offering safe, educational and entertaining nature experiences for all ages.

Spanning 25 hectares, Oakvale Wildlife Park is home to endless wildlife, from native to exotic, including koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, alligators, ostriches and more.