Arizona man named Michael Patrick Turland has been arrested and facing animal cruelty charges after officials found 183 dead dogs, rabbits, birds, and other animals in a freezer, “including some that were apparently frozen while alive”.
Associated Press has more on Michael Patrick Turland’s arrest for animal cruelty;
Mohave County deputies and animal control officers found the animals in a garage freezer April 3 after a woman reported that Michael Patrick Turland, 43, hadn’t returned snakes she’d lent him for breeding, the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday in a statement. The freezer was at a home that Turland previously rented in Golden Valley, a rural community in far western Arizona.
The frozen animals included dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats and rabbits, the statement said. “Several of the animals appeared to have been frozen alive due to their body positioning.” The Sheriff’s Office said they were kept in a “large-sized chest freezer.”
The home’s owner reportedly discovered the frozen animals while cleaning after Turland and his wife vacated the property. The owner then contacted the woman who notified the Sheriff’s Office, the statement said.
Michael Patrick Turland was arrested on Wednesday in his home and according to a statement, he admitted putting some of the animals in the freezer while still alive. Indeed, that’s animal cruelty and the law will deal with him as expected.
“When interviewed, Turland eventually admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive,” the statement said.
Court records didn’t list an attorney who could comment on behalf of Turland, who was arrested on 94 counts of animal cruelty.
The cops might want to make sure Turland hasn’t murdered any people because killing animals is normally a precursor to that. If we found out later he was a serial killer I wouldn’t be surprised, would you?
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