Flying Donkey Sparks Animal Cruelty Probe

Russian police are investigating a possible case of animal cruelty after a donkey was forced to parasail over a beach resort, terrifying not only the animal but sunbathing families who watched from below. "The donkey screamed and children cried," a police rep tells AFP. "No-one had the brains to call police." Animal abuse is hardly news in Russia, the news service notes, demonstrating how brutal the incident was.

Intended as a promotional stunt organized by the owners of a private beach, the ride quickly became a PR nightmare. "The children on the beach cried and asked their parents: "Why did they tie a doggy to a parachute?'" a local newspaper reported. "The donkey landed in an atrocious manner: it was dragged several meters along the water, after which the animal was pulled out half-alive onto the shore."
(More donkey stories.)