ALAMEDA, CA — An Alameda man accused of killing a wild turkey this month is facing felony animal cruelty charges, prosecutors said.
The 38-year-old was arrested on Dec. 17 after the illegal hunting was reported to police and animal control by a witness, the East Bay Times reported.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office is now seeking justice for the wild bird, which are seen around some Bay Area neighborhoods, though they are not native to California.
Police told the East Bay Times that the man, who hasn’t been publicly named, shot the turkey with a 177 caliber BB gun near the 400 block of Pensacola Road — about three-and-a-half miles from where the man lives.
The bird was taken to a veterinarian for a full necropsy before the case was brought to the district attorney’s office.