Nuisance Wildlife Contractor Philip Alan Hayes, 54, of Pace, turned himself in to Santa Rosa County Jail last night after a warrant was issued for his arrest, stemming from his involvement handling a complaint about a donkey running loose on Deaton Bridge Road.
Hayes was charged with a second-degree misdemeanor count of inhuman slaughter of livestock and a third-degree felony county of serious physical injury or death of an animal. He was issued a $8,500 bond.
South Santa Rosa News will have a statement tomorrow from Attorney Dan Stewart on behalf of Mr. Hayes, who has served as the county’s nuisance animal contractor for decades. Stewart is still awaiting reports for Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office dispatch logs and incident reports involving the case.
Mr. Hayes had followed up with SRSO prior to shooting the donkey after the responding officer had left the scene.
