Kentucky man accused of skinning neighbors' pets to make 'doggy coat'

FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (WCMH) — A Kentucky man is facing animal cruelty charges after police say he skinned four dogs belonging to his neighbors to make a "doggy coat."

Kentucky State Police were called to a home in David, Kentucky on December 23 after a neighbor called police, WLEX reported.

The resident told officers his neighbor, Jonathan D. Watkins, came to his home and asked for a cigarette. The neighbor told police Watkins was covered in blood.

When asked about the blood, the neighbor said Watkins said, “I’ve been skinning dogs.”

The neighbor told police he didn’t believe Watkins at first. Later in the day, he said he saw what appeared to be animal skins and dog carcasses on his porch.

He said two of his dogs were missing and he believed two dogs belonging to another neighbor were also missing, WKYT reported.

When an officer asked him about the blood, an arrest citation said Watkins responded, “I’m making myself a doggy coat.”

Police said he admitted to using a knife to kill the dogs.

“Yes, there isn’t anything wrong with me making myself a fur coat,” Watkins said, according to the arrest report.

Watkins was arrested and booked at the Floyd County Detention Center. He’s charged with four counts of torture of a dog/cat with serious physical injury/death, according to the Courier Journal. He’s facing between one and five years in prison.