The annual Possum Drop at Clay’s Corner in Brasstown, N.C., (about two hours west of Asheville) is on again for this New Year’s Eve.
The event, which includes the lowering of a live possum in a plexiglass box, had been under attack the past few years from animal rights activists who say the event is cruel treatment of the animal.
State lawmakers moved to defend the annual event, and exempted Clay County from any N.C. wildlife laws related to an opossum between the dates of Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. A 2015 update expanded that exemption statewide.
Last year was the first time that a live possum was lowered on New Year’s Eve at Clay’s Corner, and that’s the plan again this year.
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Correction, last year was not the first time this was done. A live opossum was dropped for approximately 20 years, then stopped (for three years, I think) due to it being found illegal. Then the NC state legislature, who can’t find the time to address the problems of the state, passed a special law to allow the cruelty to continue.