PHILIP ALAN HAYES arrested for shooting and killing a donkey
- voiceforus
- Apr 21, 2022
- 3 min read
- Florida, USA -
On April 12, deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office responded to an animal complaint regarding a donkey roaming unattended on Deaton Bridge Road in Milton.
Deputies “attempted several times to coral the donkey with negative results,” so they called in 54-years-old PHILIP ALAN HAYES (pictured), who at the time was an independent livestock contractor, for assistance. After HAYES arrived, deputies left.
Deputies later learned that HAYES had shot and killed the donkey.
The Major Crimes Unit with the sheriff’s office investigated the incident and it emerged that HAYES “committed an act to an animal which resulted in cruel death and did not use humane methods in the killing of the livestock to prevent needless suffering”, stated the release.
Witnesses told investigators that before HAYES killed the donkey, he had hand fed the creature and “refused to use equipment provided by the witness to facilitate the capturing of the animal.”
It was at this point that HAYES went to his vehicle to get a firearm and shot the donkey.
The sheriff’s office said that HAYES turned himself in during overnight hours and was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on inhumane slaughter of livestock (2nd Degree Misdemeanor) and torture-inflict pain and serious injury/death (3rd Degree Felony.)
Online records show the murderer was released but the amount of bail/bond was not indicated.
WEAR-TV reports he was released after posting a $8,500 bond.
In a Facebook post of April 13, the sheriff’s office said: “Santa Rosa County is known for having a large population of livestock and is a deep-rooted part of our culture. Because of this, we are deeply troubled by this incident. The safety and care of animals have been and remain of the utmost importance to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.”
HAYES’ attorney, Dan Stewart, held a press conference on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 19.
HAYES was present but chose to not speak.
Stewart maintains his client’s innocence and said there are two sides to the story.
WEAR-TV was at the press conference and when its reporters repeatedly asked Stewart about “that other side”, Stewart would not go into much detail.
Stewart addressed the people present at the conference and asked: “What if this animal had run out in front of a vehicle?”
Stewart then mentioned the threatening comments posted on social media against his client and said: “That is ridiculous.”
At one point a WEAR-TV reporter asked Stewart: “So, why was the donkey shot? Can you answer that directly?”
Stewart responded: “I am going to answer generally and broadly. A lot of what’s in that report needs to be addressed specifically.”
Basically, he did not answer!
Ms. Emily Girardot, who witnessed the shooting, told WEAR-TV that HAYES did not have with him the equipment to catch the donkey. She said the donkey was in a fenced-in area on three sides and at one point HAYES was hand feeding him/her. She thinks HAYES shot the donkey because he did not want to do the extra work.
Stewart then said that the arrest report concerning witness statements and agencies by the sheriff’s office are wrong.
WEAR-TV asked him: “What’s wrong about it?”
To which Stewart responded: “We will discuss it at a later date!” “We will share everything we know.”
Frankly, I don’t see the point of this clownish, useless, ridiculous so-called press conference!
Stewart just opened his mouth to let some air out!
The sheriff’s office said HAYES is no longer a contractor for them after over 20 years.
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This mean SOB just shot an innocent donkey cuz he’s a cruel lazy slob! Damn him! Damn him straight to Hell! RIP PRECIOUS SOUL!