Bam Margera, Jackass Star Apologizes for Threatening to Shoot Puppy in Prank Twitter Photo, Claims Animal Abuse isn't Cool

Bam Margera, popular skateboarder and former star of the hit MTV stunt show "Jackass," has apologized after catching some heat for recently posting a picture on Twitter of himself posing with his pet pit bull puppy. Sounds totally cute and innocent, until one realizes that Margera is brandishing a (fake toy) gun aimed right at the poor pup's head. What was supposed to be a simple Twitpic prank didn't go over too well in the animal activist world, and Margera wants his fans to know that he meant no harm and thinks that animal abuse isn't cool at all.

With the controversial Twitpic above, the 33-year-old daredevil also posted this "humorous" message (which has since been deleted):

"Penny pooped in my bed. If it happens again, Penny goes Bye Byes."

All fun and games - but what Margera didn't know was that there has been a recent rise in animal abuse cases right around his area. The SPCA was not so amused.

After being widely criticized for his failed attempt at puppy-murder humor, Margera sat down with the Philadelphia Enquirer and claimed that he had no idea about the rise of animal abuse cases around the Chester County, PA area. According to Margera, "I think those people need to go down... Just hurting another animal is rude, crude and more." He insists that he never would have posted the morbid photo if he had known any better. Looks like lesson well learned.

Margera goes on to claim that he doesn't own a real gun - he's never even seriously fired one (other than at a clay pigeon during a sporting event). In his defense, "I feel like every follower I have on Twitter knows my Jackass joking kind of humor." Margera ironically points that no one made a big deal about the additional photos he posted of himself aiming the same toy gun to his friends' heads. Well, "All press is good press," he figures.

But for those fans still concerned, puppy Penny (whose name is now Sunny) is doing just fine. Margera's girlfriend Nikki Boyd insists that Sunny has a personal crate and is even adapting well to training.