Man Charged With Animal Cruelty Fed Farm Animal Carcasses to Pigs, Investigator Says
By Garry Mitchell, Associated Press Writer
Originally published by The Associated Press, May 23, 2002
LILLIAN, Alabama (AP) — A man arrested on animal cruelty charges in the deaths of nearly 2,000 greyhounds may face additional charges for feeding farm animal carcasses to other animals, an investigator said Thursday.
Robert L. Rhodes, 68, hauled away downed or dead livestock for other farmers and used the ground meat to feed greyhounds and hogs he raised, said Gerald McGough, an investigator for the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
Rhodes could face misdemeanor charges for violations of the health code and agricultural laws, he said.
"State law requires that an animal that dies or is killed be disposed of in two ways within 24 hours—burial or burning," McGough said.
Feeding dead livestock to swine is prohibited because it could pass disease and pose a health threat to humans, he said.
Rhodes was charged Wednesday with three counts of felony animal cruelty after hundreds of carcasses of racing greyhounds were found on his 18-acre farm.
The charges allege he shot injured or sick dogs after greyhound owners hired him to dispose of the animals. Rhodes, a former security guard at a greyhound racetrack, said he charged $10 per dog and none of the animals suffered. He said he buried the carcasses, but coyotes could have dug up bones.
The animal cruelty charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
