A Cocke County man was arrested after allegedly slaughtering his dog apparently, with the intention of eating the animal.

Eddie McCoig, 45 of Newport, is charged with Aggravated Cruelty to Animals in relation to an incident that occurred last month.

Cocke County Sheriff’s Deputy Trevor Starnes was dispatched on May 20 to a residence on Old Highway 411 in regard to the intentional killing of a dog.

A witness told Starnes the McCoig had killed his dog, skinned it and placed the carcass in a cooler.

McCoig, who was recognizable by his green mohawk, admitted to shooting the dog, cutting its throat and skinning it.

He told the deputy that he intended to eat the animal.

After receiving his Miranda Rights, McCoig gave the deputy permission to unlock the gate to go to the red cooler which contained the dog’s remains.

“I observed remains of a large breed type dog skinned and cut up with the dog’s paws still clearly visible in the red cooler,” Starnes wrote.

McCoig was taken to the Old Cocke County Jail and placed under arrest.

Starnes contacted Deputy Steve Revill with animal control.

They captured three other dogs on the property and took custody of the remains.

Another dog, described as the mother to the three that were captured eluded the deputies.