A file photo of a peacock in Florida.

A Florida man was charged with aggravated animal cruelty after allegedly killing and eating his pet peacocks as part of a dispute with his neighbor, an arrest warrant shows.

Craig Vogt, 61, was charged with aggravated animal causing excessive pain or death in connection to the Tuesday, Sept. 23 incident, Pasco County online criminal court records show.

The incident took place at Vogt's home in the town of Hudson, about 40 miles northwest of Tampa.

According to an arrest warrant obtained by USA TODAY, Vogt's neighbor told a Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputy she had been "in a verbal disagreement" with him over his pet peacocks. The neighbor said Vogt placed a letter in her mailbox saying he killed two of his pet peacocks because she continued feeding them.

When the deputy spoke with Vogt, the affidavit continues, he allegedly admitted he killed and ate both birds and placed the letter in her mailbox, "to prove a point that he will continue to kill his pet peacocks if she continues to feed them."

Man who owned pet peacocks killed them 'out of spite,' affidavit shows

Vogt told the deputy he cut both birds necks out of spite, let them bleed out, and later ate the peacocks after cooking them in a frying pan.

"While being transported to jail, the defendant stated that upon his release, he plans to kill all his pet peacocks to prevent anyone from taking custody of them," the deputy wrote.

Deputies arrested Vogt on the felony charge and transported him to Land O' Lakes Detention Center, where he was booked into jail. As of Monday, Sept. 29, he was not listed as an inmate online. His bond was not immediately known.

An attorney of record for Vogt was not listed in online court filings, nor was a next court appearance for him immediately available.

Court papers show he requested a judge to appoint him an attorney.

Vogt could not immediately be reached for comment.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida man allegedly killed and ate his pet peacocks amid neighbor dispute, police say

Reporting by Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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