Arizona man accused of a cruelty to rats

BLACK CANYON CITY, Ariz. — A man is accused of animal cruelty after hundreds of domesticated rats have been found dead or dying in a north-central Arizona travel trailer.

Yavapai County Sheriff's officials say 28-year-old Jeffrey Wendorff was arrested Monday on suspicion of cruel mistreatment of animals and neglect/abandonment of animals.

County Health Services officials say they got a call about numerous rats around a trailer in Black Canyon City.

Sheriff's deputies and county animal control officers say there were between 300 to 500 rats in pens at the front and back of the trailer and the odor was overwhelming.

Inside the trailer, authorities found several aquariums with newborn and adult rats.

Wendorff told authorities he had stopped caring for the rats recently, but had been in a business partnership to breed and sell rats.