Arizona Man Charged With Animal Cruelty After 183 Animals Discovered in Freezer

Photo Credit: Mohave County Sheriff’s Office

An Arizona man has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty charges after 183 dead dogs, rabbits, birds and other animals were found in a freezer. Officials say that  some of the animals were frozen while alive.

On April 3rd, a woman reported that Michael Patrick Turland, 43, hadn’t returned snakes she’d lent him for breeding. Mohave County Sheriff’s Office deputies and animal control officers discovered over 180 animals in a garage freezer at a home that Turland previously rented in Golden Valley, Arizona.


The frozen animals that were kept in large-sized chest freezer included dogs, birds, snakes, rabbits, turtles, lizards, mice and rats. The Sheriff’s Office said some of the animals appeared to have been frozen alive due to their body positioning.

The home owner discovered the frozen animals while cleaning after Turland and his wife vacated the property.

Turland was arrested at the home Wednesday. During a police interview, Turland admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive.

Turland has been charged with 94 counts of animal cruelty.