(Newser) – Warning: Do not read the rest of this story if you've just eaten. A Florida man has been arrested on animal cruelty charges after police say he strangled his mother's pitbull puppy to death, then cooked and consumed the remains. According to Tampa cops, Thomas Elliot Huggins, 25, chopped the dog—named Bandit—into four pieces, and put them in the freezer. Then, come dinner time, he put the ribs in a pot, cooked them, and ate some of the meat, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Hey, we warned you.

His mom, 54, called the police after finding the leftover ribs on the stove later that night, and proceeded to show them the cooked meat, the other dog parts in the freezer, and the dog's head and insides in the trash. Huggins admitted to killing the dog, but said he didn't believe he'd done anything wrong, because the dog was aggressive towards him. Both his mother and sister told police they believe he suffers from mental health problems. Despite this, his mom says she hopes he is released soon. "It was gruesome, yes, but the dog is dead now," she says. "I hate to be so cold, but I do need Thomas around to help me." (Read more animal cruelty stories.)

