One good deed ended up costing carpenter Todd Sutton his job.
When Sutton arrived at his job working on the expansion project at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in February, he found that a raccoon who was on the grounds had been caught in a trap. He was set to be euthanized, but Sutton decided that the raccoon deserved a second chance at life. "I was just doing what I thought was right," he told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He was just a little baby. I said, 'I'm not going to let this happen. I'm going to do what is necessary for this raccoon.'" He put the cage in his truck, and placed a call to animal control for more information on next steps.
Later in the day, Sutton's boss asked him if he taken the raccoon, and he told the truth. Sutton was fired, with the reason being that the raccoon was damaging the project, and the general contractor didn't want the raccoon to be cornered and hurt workers. The contractor also said he considered the taking of the raccoon theft. Sutton has since found another, lower-paying job, and is working with employment attorney Stephen Jaffe to determine if the firing was legal. "You don't have to be an attorney to have common sense," Jaffe said. "I personally think Todd is a hero. Why would any company take such a strict position on killing an animal?"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How will the new Repayment Assistance Plan for student loans work?the explainer The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will replace existing income-driven repayment plans
-
In the Spotlight Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been at odds with US forces
-
Music reviews: Ethel Cain, Amaarae, and The Black KeysFeature "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You," "Black Star," and "No Rain, No Flowers"
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
