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Emilio Otero told the outlet he practices Santeria -- a Cuban religion known for sacrificing animals -- and helps people heal their ailments. In this case, though, he was using the animals for food, he told NBC New York
Landlord Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez, an active-duty Navy sailor and new mom, called police when she returned from a deployment in the Middle East to the "nightmare" she found in the house, the Daily Beast said.
Between seven and nine goats were found inside the three-bedroom row home, as were a handful of chicken carcasses with slashed throats left in a pile, Jersey City's Division of Environmental Health director H. James Boor told NBC.
One photo shows a dead pigeon nailed above a door. Charges had apparently not been filed.
Brevard-Rodriguez told NBC that Otero hasn't paid rent since May and the federal eviction moratorium kept her from kicking him out.
The home is located at 141 Van Horne St., where officers responded Aug. 19, Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said. Police were working with the Liberty Humane Society on the safe surrender of the animals.
The humane society that day on Facebook said it took in seven goats, 10 pigeons, a duck, a rooster and a box turtle from the incident.
The JCPD investigation is ongoing.
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