A 19-year-old American man has blamed the narcotic effects of bath salts* for sparking an episode that resulted in the death of a pygmy goat.

Mark L Thompson of Alum Creek, West Virginia, was arrested on Monday after police had been called by the owner of a pygmy goat, a neighbour of Thompson's, who had complained that the 19-year-old was holding the beast captive in his home.

The neighbour's nephew and two women went into Thompson's house. Thompson warned them off, saying he was naked.

When they pushed Thompson's bedroom door open, the neighbour told The Charleston Gazette: "He was standing there with his pants down. He had on women's clothing and the goat was dead and there was blood everywhere. It was just a scene."

A pornographic photo was apparently found lying near the carcass of the goat.

Thompson took to his heels, still in bra and panties, and police spent several hours scouring local woods for the cross-dressing caprine killer.

When they cornered him eventually, Thompson told police he had been high on bath salts for several days.

The teenager is being held on animal cruelty charges. He was taken into custody by Adult Protective Services. ®

* "Bath salts", a designer drug, has become the latest legal high worry for the authorities on both sides of the Atlantic. It is typically based on methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and is also known as Magic and Super Coke. It induces similar effects to mephedrone, the last big legal high worry. It is not actually recommended for use as part of a beauty regime, but rather is sold in packaging that mimics that of a beauty product... Lawmakers are working towards a total ban. ®