Man who punched possum in the face condemned by animal cruelty charity

An animal welfare group in New Zealand has criticised a video which appears to show a man punching a possum in the face.

The video shows a man approach the animal which is sitting on a fence post. The man then violently hits it, sending it flying off the fence.

The organisation Safe (Save animals from exploitation) said they condemned the actions from the incident, which happened on a farm near Timaru, on the South Island.

Radio show The Country posted the footage on its Facebook page, asking the public whether the man’s approach could be deemed as animal cruelty or pest control, given that the farm is reportedly overpopulated with the rodent.

“These are sentient creatures - able to feel pain and distress,” Safe campaigns manager Marianne Macdonald told the New Zealand Herald, “Just like beloved cats and dogs at home. They need to be treated with respect, not violence.”

"Also, the humour from those witnessing this act demonstrates a toxic attitude towards animals, that is sadly very prevalent in some parts of our society and needs to be widely condemned."