A New Mexico man has been arrested and accused of kidnapping local neighborhood dogs and making wigs and various accessories with their fur.
Los Lunas authorities became increasingly alarmed after dozens of pets had disappeared in the area in the past year.
A local citizen also alerted the Los Lunas Police Department after discovering that Jeremiah Bishop, 79, was operating a website where he managed to sell wigs, fur handbags, and custom underwear.
Bishop had already attracted attention in the area for his eccentric hairstyles, wearing different wigs every day with highly unconventional color patterns.
“When I looked closer, I realized he was wearing the fur of a poodle on his head,” one neighbor told local reporters.
“He once pet my dog for 15 minutes and told me how he’d be interested in buying my dog. He kept saying how great his hair would look on him. I thought it was a joke at the time” local citizen, Alan Cook, told reporters in shock.
Los Lunas police seized no less than 16 dog pelts but found countless accessories allegedly made from his victims’ fur.
19 wigs treated with bleach and different color dyes were also found on the location.
56 items of clothing manufactured from the fur of the dead animals were also seized by police such as pairs of socks, bras and men’s underwear.
Packaged dog meat was also found in large quantities in the man’s freezer, leading officials to believe Bishop might also have eaten the meat and organs of his victims.
It is not presently known how many dogs were kidnapped and slaughtered by Bishop, but local authorities estimate between 60 and 200 dogs may have fallen prey to the retired hairdresser.
If found guilty and according to current animal cruelty laws in the state of New Mexico, Jeremiah Bishop, 79, could face up to three days in jail and a $500 fine.
