Police arrested a California man for stalking and animal cruelty after reportedly killing and cooking his ex-girlfriend's dog and then feeding it to her. The woman contacted police Sept. 9 with a complaint that she was being stalked and abused by her ex-boyfriend Ryan Eddy Watenpaugh.

Watenpaugh, 34, had allegedly physically assaulted his girlfriend multiple times over the course of their relationship. She claimed to have been held against her will when she tried to leave and suffered minor injuries from the attacks. Redding police Sgt. Todd Cogle said Watenpaugh is from Pale Cedro and had been seeing this woman for several months.

According to officials, during one attack on Aug. 4, the woman fled from her Redding apartment in fear. When she returned, Watenpaugh and her Pomeranian named Bear were missing. The couple briefly reconciled in September, during which time Watenpaugh cooked her a meal.

Later on Sept. 7, Cogle said the woman received a text from Watenpaugh asking her how her dog had tasted, referring to the earlier meal he had made her. Other messages he sent the victim included horrific plans he had for the remains of her dog, one text saying he was going to send its paws to her.

Cogle said that around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, the woman heard a truck drive up to her apartment. She saw Watenpaugh walk up to her home, place something on her doorstep and leave. When she opened the door to see what it was, she saw that he had left a bag containing dog paws, which she identified as Bear's.

Shasta County Sheriff's Department arrested Watenpaugh Wednesday. He later told officers that he had sent the menacing messages and even placed the dog paws at the ex-girlfriend's home but said he did not kill or cook her dog, Cogle said.

Watenpaugh was arrested on charges of stalking, domestic violence and animal cruelty, among others relating to weapons found in his home after subsequent searches. He is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.