PORTAGE (WKOW) -- Court records filed in Columbia County show Donald Klawes admitted to killing several rabbits in the last few months.
Klawes, 32, was charged with three counts of mistreatment of animals/causing death.
The Portage Police Department announced Klawes' arrest this week claiming Klawes had adopted the rabbits from different animal rescue centers in Wisconsin before killing them at his home.
In an interview with 27 News, Portage Police Officer Ben Oetzman said they responded to Klawes' home after a rescue center reported Klawes was trying to adopt more rabbits after his had died.
Oetzman said he soon learned Klawes had buried at least six dead rabbits in shallow graves in his backyard.
According to the criminal complaint, when officers tracked Klawes down, he admitted to killing the rabbits.
However, court records state he denied intentionally hurting them and said he suffers from PTSD, anxiety, hypertension and depression. Investigators said Klawes told them his medication causes him to hallucinate.
Klawes told officers "he keeps seeing his dead rabbits walking around his house."
The complaint states, "He [Klawes] explained he hears voices in his head which tell him to 'kill the rabbits.'"
Investigators report Klawes confirmed rabbits were buried in the backyard and detailed how he brutally killed each of them.
27 News is not releasing how exactly the rabbits died because of the disturbing details.
However, Oetzman told 27 News the rabbits were killed in an 'inhumane, brutal and sadistic way.'
According to the complaint, when detectives asked Klawes if the voices tell him to harm other living things besides rabbits, Klawes nodded his head yes.
The complaint states, "Klawes explained to Detective Warning that the voices tell Klawes to make people suffer."
The criminal complaint shows Klawes' roommate later called officers back to the home wanting to give them some of Klawes' belongings.
Officer Oetzman reports the roomate handed him guns, ammunition and knives.
At Klawes' initial appearance, the judge set his bond to $500 cash. The judge also banned him from having any animals or firearms.
More at WKOW 27 News