Man Charged After Killing And Cooking Pet Peacocks To Spite Neighbor

Authorities in Florida have arrested a 61-year-old man, Craig Vogt, on charges of aggravated animal cruelty after he admitted to killing, cooking, and eating two of his pet peacocks out of spite toward a neighbor.

According to an affidavit from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Vogt confessed that he slaughtered the birds because his neighbor kept feeding them. Investigators said he had even written her a letter warning that he would continue killing the peacocks if she didn’t stop.

The affidavit stated that Vogt “admitted to killing the bird by cutting its neck out of spite, blooding it out, and later cooking and eating it in a frying pan.” While being transported to jail, he allegedly told deputies he planned to kill all of his remaining peacocks upon release so that “no one could take them.”

Vogt was arrested on September 23 and booked on a third-degree felony count of aggravated animal cruelty. It remains unclear how many peacocks he owned or what has happened to the surviving birds.

Court records show no attorney listed for Vogt, and the sheriff’s office has not provided an update on the fate of the other peacocks.