PAVILION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Animal cruelty charges are being sought against a Kalamazoo County man who was originally wanted for domestic violence.

Michigan State Police said they were serving a search warrant Wednesday at around 6 a.m. at a home in Pavilion Township on E. Q Avenue near S. 24th Street. They said Rodney Moore, 32, was arrested for warrants regarding domestic violence and child support.

Moore, who lives at the residence, was the only person home at the time.

Detectives said while at the home, they found signs of animal cruelty including two dogs that were dead in the garage. There were signs that both dogs were brutally abused, troopers said. There were also five living dogs inside the home.

“You could see the dogs’ ribs, and you could tell they were not fed,” MSP Detective Sgt. Melisa Bernum said.

Bernum led the fugitive team that conducted the search.

“They didn’t want to come around us, they weren’t aggressive. They were skittish, they were almost afraid,” she said.

Kalamazoo County Animal Control responded to the scene and took the dogs into their custody.

MSP said as Moore was being taken to jail, he became violent and damaged a patrol car by kicking the windshield and breaking the rearview mirror. They also said Moore tried kicking an officer in the head while being escorted into the jail.

“He was doing whatever he could to not go to jail,” Bernum said. 

Additional charges are being sought against Moore including animal cruelty, malicious destruction of police property and resisting and obstructing an officer.

— New 8’s Ruben Juarez contributed to this report.