St. Paul, Minn. — A 26-year-old Denver businessman was in custody today for allegedly ripping the head off a live, tame duck that resided in a hotel lobby’s ornamental pond.
According to a police report, Scott D. Clark, a guest at the Embassy Suites Hotel in St. Paul, cornered the duck early Saturday, grabbed the bird and “ripped its head from its body” while a hotel security guard and others watched.
Clark then turned to onlookers and said: “I’m hungry. I’m gonna eat it,” said St. Paul police Sgt. John Wuorinen, citing the police report.
“He was allegedly drunk,” Wuorinen said.
Clark was detained by hotel security guards until police arrived to arrest him.
He remained in jail today on suspicion of felony animal cruelty and was scheduled to appear in court Monday to be charged.
A phone message left for Clark at the jail was not immediately returned today.
He could face up to two years in jail and a $5,000 fine, said Tim Shields, general counsel with the Minnesota Federated Humane Societies. Shields said the incident was “unconscionable” and that having live ducks in a hotel lobby puts them at risk of being stepped on or run over by suitcases.
“I think Embassy Suites needs to take another look at this and review how they keep ducks safe, or use fish like most hotels would use,” Shields said.
Calls to the Embassy Suites were referred to either the assistant general manager or the general manager. Both were unavailable today.
