UPSHUR COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A man faces charges after he killed and skinned a cat.
According to a criminal complaint, on August 27, a public service call requested a welfare check on Bryan Schooley. The caller stated that she was informed Schooley had killed and skinned a cat the day prior and was concerned about his mental health.
When authorities arrived, Schooley said he strangled his pet cat and skinned it to “try his hand at taxidermy.” When asked why he killed his cat, Schooley said he thought it was sick due to coughing and possibly having rabies. Authorities questioned whether he took the cat to the vet to confirm it was ill, but Schooley said he did not.
Schooley said he sat the cat in his lap and then “strangled it to death.” Authorities asked how the suspect got lacerations on his hand, and Schooley responded, saying the cat was scratching him when he was killing it. Police asked to see the cat’s remains, but the suspect initially hesitated because he said the scene was “pretty brutal.” Once inside the home, Schooley pulled the cat’s fur out of the freezer.
Schooley is charged with animal cruelty. He currently remains in Tygart Valley Regional Jail. His bond is not listed.
