Florida man sets traps to kill cats, leaves dead cat in trash can: WCSO

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. - One man's effort to trap and kill cats on his property has him facing serious charges after deputies in the Florida Panhandle say they found a dead cat in a trash can.

The backstory:

According to the Walton County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a home west of DeFuniak Springs on Tuesday, July 29, after a neighbor reported a foul odor coming from a trash can by the road.

Investigators say they found two armed and baited animal traps outside the property's fence line, then discovered the remains of a cat in the trash can.

Deputies questioned Richard Taylor, 64, about the traps. He told investigators he's been putting them out for 10 years to catch feral cats, adding that he "kills the g*****n things when [he] catches them."

Mugshot of Richard Taylor. Courtesy: Walton County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office says Taylor yelled at the deputies while using profanity and claiming he's allowed to kill feral cats because they're pests.

Deputies eventually arrested Taylor and took him to the Walton County Jail, where he was later released on bond.

What's next:

Taylor faces the following charges:

• Aggravated animal cruelty causing death
• Threatening a first responder with physical harm
• Obstruction without violence