Suspect held in peacock killing

St. Petersburg Times, | June 12, 2002 | CHRIS TISCH,

[Temple Owl]

Suspect held in peacock killing

A man accused of capturing and skinning the bird before placing it in his freezer is arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals.

By CHRIS TISCH, Times Staff Writer

St. Petersburg Times

A man accused of capturing and skinning the bird before placing it in his freezer is arrested on a charge of cruelty to animals.

CLEARWATER -- A man has been charged with animal cruelty on the suspicion that he killed a peacock, then cut off the bird's wings, claws and feathers and stuck the carcass in his freezer for a later meal.

Randall J. Konarik, 34, of 1220 Palm St. was arrested Monday morning on a charge of cruelty to animals. He was being held at the Pinellas County Jail on Tuesday afternoon in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Clearwater police on Saturday received a report that Konarik had captured a peacock in Dunedin, then brought it to his home, tied it to a brick and killed it.

When police talked to Konarik, he told them he struck the bird in the head with a rock, then kicked it. He told police he then picked up the bird by its wings and feet and carried it 2 miles to his home, an arrest affidavit states.

Konarik told police the bird struggled during the walk, which he said "caused the bird to die from heat exhaustion a few hours later," an arrest report states. Konarik said the death was accidental and occurred while he was trying to relocate the bird.

Once the bird was dead, Konarik removed the bird's wings, claws and some of its feathers. When asked why, he told officers: "Because that's what hunters do," the arrest report states.

He then skinned the bird and placed it in his freezer to eat later, police said.

It was unknown exactly where in Dunedin the bird was captured.

Peafowl have recently created some controversy in one north Clearwater neighborhood. Some residents have tried to remove the birds, complaining they are noisy and messy. That hasn't gone over well with other neighbors who enjoy their beauty.

"I'm in shock to say the least," said Susan Sander, one of the peacock lovers. "To me, animal cruelty is equal to a person. They're God's creatures. I'm so saddened."

Though the birds are very pretty, some who live in neighborhoods where they roam don't appreciate their harsh squawks, particularly during mating season, which is around May. The birds also are known to tear up flower gardens, and even to peck at cars when they see their image reflected.

The birds have lived in the area of the Clearwater-Dunedin border since the 1920s, when there was a peafowl farm there. The birds were raised for their tail feathers, which were a popular fashion item.

When the farm folded decades ago, many of the birds were simply let loose. They have strutted the area ever since.

Rick Chaboudi, executive director of the Humane Society of North Pinellas, said he has never heard of someone killing a peacock, then saving it to eat.

"I have never heard of anyone ever hunting peacocks," he said. "You can't just execute them or mutilate them or things like that."

[Temple Owl]

The guy probably thought peacocks taste like chicken.

[mhking]

To me, animal cruelty is equal to a person.

PETA barf alert!

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

((ping)) Topical, for you, if not the most pleasant of subjects.

[kaktuskid]

They basically are chickens..only dumber!

[Black Agnes]

Obviously the guy that's never heard of killing a peacock to eat it later hasn't watched survivor.

[KentuckyWoman]

Oh my goodness!! I must leave for home immediately and get that turkey out of my freezer before somebody decides I should be jailed for it!! But honest officer, I didn't pluck it myself!!

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

I agree in principle -- but only insofar that it is wrong to torture humans and it is also wrong to torture animals. Period. This does not imply that humans and animals are equals. It is sometimes USED to imply that, but in and of itself I would agree that both are equally wrong. Wrong = Wrong. That's logic. I wouldn't say an animal torturer is a better person than a human torturer. I'd say both are scum.

Note that the topic is torture, not killing. I eat meat, hence I can't exactly be against animal killing. I'm against needless suffering. Any sane human being is.

[AAABEST]

"I'm in shock to say the least," said Susan Sander, one of the peacock lovers. "To me, animal cruelty is equal to a person. They're God's creatures. I'm so saddened" she said as she ate the chicken sandwich made from a similar bird that was hung upside down by it's feet until it's head was mechanically torn off.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

I should amend that torture implies NEEDLESS suffering. If we had to torture bin Laden to save American lives, that would not be needless. Animals have nothing to tell us, and torturing a fox does not deter others from raiding your henhouse. People can be motivated. It must be hard for the person or people who have to do it, just as it would have been hard for President Bush to order the fourth plane shot down on 9/11. Sometimes life calls for tough choices to be made.

[Quilla]

A few years back, I was driving down a dirt road at night near where the [infamous] Alday murders were committed. It was a cool evening and I had my windows down. From somewhere in the woods came a screech so loud, I freaked. It was a $%#&&*@ peacock! Scared me to death. If I could have seen it, I'd have shot it.

[EggsAckley]

They basically are chickens..only dumber!

Sorry, but you're wrong on both counts. Peafowl are related to pheasants, and are actually much brighter than chickens. I raise peacocks, and they are very bright, expressive, and individual in their personalities.

The man who did this has some sort of mental problem; he hits it with a brick, kicks it, drags it home and then claims it died from the stress of being taken home. The guy is either a retard or a serial-killer-in-training.

[Catspaw]

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[Lion Den Dan]

Would seem to me a waste of good meat to let the bird rot. As far as killing it, without a gun you have to resort to sticks, stones and axes. Just removing the toes and wings seems insufficient but skinning it is a good start. Also, would not hurt to gut it before freezing. As far as taste, pea fowl taste a lot like phesant or guinnea. A bit dry if you are not careful cooking them but good dark meat and flakey white.

Can't imagine this guy going to jail over this.

[valkyrieanne]

A peacock is a wild chicken! What is the problem here? If it was a peacock that belonged to someone, fine, but basically a peacock is just chicken.

[EggsAckley]

I think the fact that the bird belonged to someone is enough to at least fine the guy. After all, these are not wild, native birds, they are exotic and are connected to people through ownership.

I had a weasel after my birds two nights ago, and believe me, you don't want to know what I would do to that weasel, be it four-legged or two-legged!

[EggsAckley]

A peacock is NOT a wild chicken. A peacock is in the pheasant family, and is not a wild creature, although some do escape. THEY BELONG TO PEOPLE. THEY ARE OWNED BY PEOPLE.

What part of private ownership DON'T you understand?

[genefromjersey]

Where was the cruelty ? Presumably the peacock was quite dead when he skinned and froze it.

PS: Anyone who has listened to peacocks for any length of time would probably tell you anyone who would actually kill one of those screeching, fingernails-on-the-blackboard , brainless , hyper-active critters can't be all bad !

[Tacis]

Doesn't Tyson's sell both free range and farm raised peacock? Check the meat department at your supermarket. I think most cuts come in skinless and boneless. There should be cooking and stuffing instructions on the package.

[HHFi]

I take in homeless and handicapped parrots, and I can assure you that if this creep had killed any of my birds, he would not have gone to jail. He wouldn't have been able to, because I would have bashed his head in with a brick, cut off his arms, skinned him and put him in MY freezer.

[EggsAckley]

Tell ya what......you tell me where you live, and I'll come down there and wait til your dog or cat wanders a little ways off your property. Then I'll capture it, cut it's feet off, skin it...........hey, it's out in the wild, isn't it? Fair game................