Ideas that Should Have Been Left on the Drawing Board...

Via Slate:

"Russian Police Hunt for Parasailing Donkey

Police in southern Russia are investigating an advertising stunt that traumatized beachgoers and one very unfortunate donkey at the Sea of Azov last weekend. In an attempt to promote the activity, witnesses say that the donkey was forced to parasail for more than half an hour before he finally landed—and was dragged for a few minutes—in the ocean. Local media reported that "the donkey was braying with fear and children were crying" throughout the incident. Russian police launched a search for the donkey (and his owners) after the story hit the media, and are now debating whether to file animal cruelty charges against the offending company. "We identified the businessman who organized the donkey's flight and questioned him but he claims the donkey's owner had asked him to send the animal on a parasailing ride and said he has no idea why [the owner requested this]," a police spokesman told Russia's RIA Novosti."