Brothers Get Off With Probation, Fine for Bow and Arrow Dolphin Slaying
Two Texas brothers who confessed to shooting a stranded dolphin to death with a compound bow were sentenced to one year of probation, 50 hours of community service and a shared $7,300 fine this week, KBTV reports.
Cory James Moseley, 23, and Cade Ryan Moseley, 18, faced a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $20,000 fine for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
In July of 2014, authorities say the brothers were fishing on Cow Bayou in Southwest Texas when they spotted two stranded bottlenose dolphins and began firing arrows at them. From KFDM:
Cade Moseley hit one of the dolphins which swam away mortally wounded.
Wildlife agents were notified by a fisherman that there was a dead dolphin in the bayou. The deceased dolphin was recovered and an investigation resulted in federal charges against the Moseley brothers. The second dolphin was located in the bayou and rescued by wildlife agents and SeaWorld San Antonio personnel.
Nearby residents were reportedly outraged that anyone would harm the bayou’s dolphins “who never harmed anyone.”
“I think it is awful,” neighbor Tony Fuselier told KBMT earlier this year. “Just terrible for anyone to hurt dolphins, especially dolphins.”
During their one-year probation, the brothers will not be allowed to fish or hunt.
