After stealing animals from the Palm Beach Zoo and storing them in microwaveable containers, animal advocates wanted three teen suspects locked in cages.
Instead, a Palm Beach judge decided to sentence the teens to probation and working with animals to show they've learned their lesson, according to the Palm Beach Post. One can only hope that includes walking behind elephants and horses at parades and scooping up droppings with their bare hands.
Jonathan Lopez, Sean Patrick Harrison and Magdiel Cortes pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary and grand theft charges for their roles in an animal heist in September.
They also were convicted of animal cruelty charges for storing the stolen Goeldi's monkey, a green-cheeked Amazon parrot, and three squirrel monkeys in Tupperware containers in a sweltering shed cooled by only a small fan. The animals have recovered since the ordeal.
The teens had faced felony grand theft and animal cruelty charges and could have been sentenced to prison if a judge believed prosecutors allegations that the animals were headed to the black market. The animals could have gone for as much as $30,000.
Despite the caper, the judge still decided that of the 500 community service he ordered, half would have to be served with some kind of animal-related charity - but not the Palm Beach Zoo, which has essentially banned the crew for life.
