A 61-year-old Florida man faces animal cruelty charges after admitting to eating his pet peacocks following a dispute with a neighbour over feeding them, according to court records.
Craig Vogt, of Hudson, a community located about 40 miles north of Tampa, was arrested on Sept. 23, according to the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest affidavit stated that at about 9 p.m. that Tuesday, deputies were called to a home after a woman said her neighbour left a letter in her mailbox claiming, “he killed two of his pet peacocks because she continued feeding them.”
The deputies then spoke with the accused, Vogt, who admitted to placing the letter in the woman’s mailbox to “prove a point” and told them he would continue to kill his pet peacocks if she continued to feed them, the affidavit said.
Deputies said that Vogt also confessed to killing and eating the peacocks by cutting their necks and cooking them in a frying pan.
After Vogt was taken into custody, he then told deputies that he would kill all of his pet peacocks if someone tried to take them from him, the affidavit said.
Vogt, who has an extensive criminal record, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, excessive pain/death – a felony, according to court records.
