DES MOINES, Iowa — A Carroll man is facing animal torture charges after the Animal Rescue League of Iowa said he brutally killed a rabbit Sunday night.
“It is a shocking and very twisted thing that this person did,” said Tom Colvin, CEO of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.
64-year-old Bobby Carothers of Carroll was charged with animal torture and criminal trespassing for allegedly killing Petunia the bunny at the ARL.
“He was hanging around after the official close time, which some people do, but he was the last one and had to be told to leave,” Colvin said. “It was only after then that we discovered the rabbit.”
According to court documents, Carothers told an ARL staffer after he was asked to leave the building Sunday that he was “having rabbit stew tonight.”
Carothers told the officer that arrested him he “killed a rabbit with a stick” because he was hungry.
- Dec. 4: Assault charge stemming from an incident in Carroll
- Dec. 14: Arrested in Des Moines for allegedly trespassing at a gas station
- Dec. 15 (morning): Released from Polk County Jail following the above trespassing incident
- Dec. 15 (night): Arrested for allegedly killing rabbit at ARL
ARL workers are devastated about what happened to Petunia, especially since the ARL is a place where animals are supposed to go to heal.
“This is the place that rescued animals should not face situations like this,” Colvin said. “It just absolutely shocks the senses, it shocks the mind actually, that this is going on — that this actually did happen here at the Animal Rescue League.”
Colvin is pushing for the legislature to take steps to strengthen Iowa’s animal cruelty laws.
Right now, animal torture is not considered a felony in Iowa, but that’s something Urbandale State Sen. Brad Zaun is working to change.
An animal cruelty bill, House Filing 737, unanimously passed out of the House last session but stalled in the Senate.
Zaun said he’s been assured by Senate leadership that the bill will be voted on next session, which starts in January.