A New Smyrna Beach man was arrested on charges of trying to have his dog kill an opossum, stomping on the opossum and then decapitating the animal with an axe, according to Volusia County authorities.

Deputies said they arrested Alan McCarty, 31, early Thursday morning after finding the decapitated opossum, along with blood stains and a bloody axe outside his home on Hickory Street.

According to a witness, McCarty put the opossum in a kennel with the dog, hoping to spark an animal fight.

When the animals didn't engage, McCarty became angry and stomped on the opossum, the witness said.

McCarty then let the wounded animal out of the cage so the dog could attack it. But when the dog wouldn’t kill the opossum, McCarty decided to do it, striking it with an axe several times until it was decapitated, authorities said.

Upon questioning, deputies said McCarty tried to put the blame on his girlfriend, saying he killed the opossum to end its suffering after his girlfriend intentionally let her dog out and it attacked the animal. Deputies charged McCarty with a felony count of animal cruelty.

He was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach on $1,000 bail.