Ohio police have arrested a man after he allegedly slit the throats of several puppies before attempting to kill himself, the Mansfield News Journal reports.

Christopher Vandenberg, 38, was charged with felony animal cruelty after police were called to his apartment on Wednesday.

Vandenberg’s wife told officers that she had left five pit bull mix puppies with her husband while she was gone for two days.

When she returned, she noticed that four of the puppies were hurt, she said. At least several of them had their throats cut while another pup had an injured leg, authorities indicate.

Missy Houghton, executive director of the Humane Society of Richland County, told the newspaper that the attack seems to have been “an act of retaliation against Vandenberg’s wife.”

The wife received text messages from her husband that implied he was “cutting the puppies’ throats,” according to the newspaper.

A police report shows Vandenberg was later treated at a hospital for a suicide attempt, although he told police officers that he had not tried to kill himself.

He was booked into jail Wednesday and remained there as of Monday, jail records show.

The humane society, which assisted police in the case, shared photos of the puppies in a Facebook post this week.

“We are all sick over it,” the post reads. “The good news is, the prognosis is good for these cuties and now the puppies can start a new chapter.”

It could take several weeks for the puppies to fully recover from their injuries and be ready for adoption. The humane society has already received numerous inquires from people interested in adopting the dogs, Houghton said.

To contribute money toward the puppies’ treatment costs, visit www.adoptourstrays.com.

[Featured Image: Richland County Jail]