Wyoming Hunter Sparks Outrage Over Wolf He 'Tormented,' Showed Off At Local Bar, Then Shot Dead

Warning: This article contains graphic photos and descriptions of animal cruelty.

A hunter in Wyoming has ignited outrage and heartbreak for allegedly torturing a wolf and parading the poor animal through a local bar before killing it, RadarOnline.com can confirm.

Cody Roberts, 42, was cited and fined on February 29 for having the live wolf at his home in Daniel, where he brought it after hitting and injuring it with his snowmobile. It was not illegal in the state, however, for him to kill the wolf.

In a disturbing photo that has since circulated online, Roberts can be seen grinning with a beer can while showing off the animal, whose mouth is taped shut.

Witnesses reported that shortly after the photo was taken, Roberts dragged or carried the wolf through the Green River Bar while patrons looked on. Roberts allegedly "tormented" the wolf behind the bar before shooting and killing it, according to local newspaper Cowboy State Daily, which first obtained the image.

Rob Wallace, who previously oversaw the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the photo "sickened" him.

“This is awful,” Wallace told the outlet from his home in Teton County. “Wyoming represents the best in wildlife stewardship and this is a sad and disgusting outlier.”

Roberts, who holds hunting and fishing licenses, paid a $250 fine for violating laws regarding importing and possessing live warm-blooded wildlife, according to the newspaper.

Animal rights advocates have reacted with fury, particularly after learning that Roberts would only face a small fine. The Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy penned a joint letter criticizing law enforcement's response.

"Roberts’ actions clearly warrant a punishment more severe than the $250 ticket he received for possession of live wildlife — such an anemic response on the part of law enforcement will be seen by some as tacit approval of his crime and can only motivate other like-minded individuals driven by hatred of wolves to engage in similar, repugnant behavior," the letter reads, in part.

While killing wolves is legal in parts of Sublette County, Roberts' actions went beyond ethical hunting standards by prolonging the animal's suffering, advocates argued. The groups urged a judge to consider felony-level penalties against Roberts.

Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a relative of Cody Roberts, recently posted a bizarre reenactment of the ordeal on Facebook.

She recreated the macabre scene using a wolf skin within the same bar and shared images depicting herself with her own mouth taped shut, mimicking the torture of the wolf, while holding the fur in front of her.

Jeanne has expressed her support for Cody amidst the viral backlash.

"I love and support you Cody," she posted on April 3.

She also seemed pleased that animal cruelty laws didn't apply in the case as she mentioned the family had received death threats, according to Daily Mail.