Laughing Wyoming man is branded 'evil' over video of him kissing dying wolf after running it over with snowmobile 'then torturing the animal to death'

More disturbing video of a hunter parading an injured wolf through his local bar before shooting it dead has emerged.

Cody Roberts, 42, was cited and fined for being in possession of a live wolf in Daniel, Wyoming, on February 29, but it was not illegal to kill it.

The wolf, which was injured when Roberts ran it over with a snowmobile, was dragged through the Green River Bar as patrons swilled beer.

Roberts posed for a photo with the animal, and video filmed by witnesses showed him kissing the barely conscious wolf and laughing at its distress.

Cody Roberts, 42, posed with the the exhausted animal, cracking a beaming smile while gripping it by the scruff of the neck and raising a can of beer

Video filmed by witnesses showed him kissing the barely conscious wolf and laughing at its distress as it lay on the floor of the Green River Bar

The wolf bared its teeth as Roberts pulled its head off the floor and turned it towards him, but was too weak to do anything more to resist. 

'It absolutely sickens me... But evil must be exposed. That's the only reason to show it to the public,' a bar patron who acquired the video told Cowboy State Daily.

The new video followed two others released by Wyoming Game and Fish that showed the exhausted and pitiful-looking wolf languishing on the floor.

In the first, the animal has a muzzle on its face, and looks to be tired and despondent.

In the second, the wolf's face isn't completely visible, but it can be seen slowly moving its eyes and one of its hind legs.

Another witness explained how Roberts dragged the wolf into the bar over protests from the owner, and left it there for hours while he drank.

He then took the animal outside and allegedly tortured it before shooting it dead behind the pub.

About half the bar were friends and family of Roberts, may of whom joined him in tormenting the dying animal

The wolf bared its teeth as Roberts pulled its head off the floor and turned it towards him, but was too weak to do anything more to resist

The witness said Roberts joked to the bartender that he found a lost cattle dog, who, knowing it wasn't a dog, replied 'you better not bring in a fucking lion'. 

'It didn't want to go. Like you know when your dog doesn't want to go to the vet?' the witnesses told WyoFile of how Roberts brought the wolf inside.

They said about half the bar were friends and family of Roberts, may of whom joined him in tormenting the dying animal.

'People were petting it, taking photos of it, hugging on it. I want to be clear: He wasn't kicking or beating or torturing it. The torture was in not putting it down when he ran it over,' they said.

'He was a jokester about it, while it was just sitting there bleeding to death... He was drunk and rambling mostly. A guy who thinks highly of himself.'

The owner and many of the other patrons in the bar were unhappy with the situation, but no one challenged Roberts and the bar staff didn't tell him to leave.

'His family were half the patrons at the bar that night. What are you going to do, kick the whole bar out and close up for the night?' the witness said.

The new video followed two other released by Wyoming Game and Fish that showed the exhausted and pitiful-looking wolf languishing on the floor 

Wolf biologist Doug Smith, who worked for decades at Yellowstone National Park, said the wolf looked about nine months old and likely had internal injuries.

'The fact that this wolf should be freaking out - and it’s not - indicates it’s in pain and badly injured,' he said.

Before bringing it to the bar, Roberts posed with the exhausted animal, cracking a beaming smile while gripping it by the scruff of the neck and raising a can of beer.

The wolf had its mouth taped shut and cowered like an abused puppy.

Roberts was only fined for keeping the live wolf, but not with animal cruelty - which carries a much harder punishment. 

The wolf's face isn't completely visible, but it can be seen slowly moving its eyes and one of its hind legs

Instead of a muzzle, a piece of duct tape is forcing the wolf's mouth shut

Sublette County Sheriff KC Lehr said on Wednesday that his department along with the county attorney and Game and Fish were investigating.

Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a close family member of Roberts who lives in Daniel, reenacted the strange scene with a wolf skin in the same bar.

She posted photos to Facebook of herself with her mouth taped shut, just like the wolf, while holding the skin in front of her.

Ivie-Roberts wrote in another post after Roberts' antis went viral: 'I love and support you Cody'.

She also celebrated the news that animal cruelty laws didn't apply to Roberts' case, and another family member claimed they were getting death threats.

Jeanne Ivie-Roberts, a close family member of Roberts who lives in Daniel, reenacted the strange scene with a wolf skin in the same bar - including taping her mouth shut

Ivie-Roberts wrote in another post after Roberts' antis went viral: 'I love and support you Cody'

Animals rights campaigners reacted with fury, and were even more upset when it was confirmed Roberts would only face a small fine.

'Roberts' actions clearly warrant a punishment more severe than the $250 ticket he received for possession of live wildlife the Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy wrote in a letter to officials. 

'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.'

Roberts, who is a father and owns a trucking company, first encountered the wolf when he ran it down with a snowmobile and disabled it.

But instead of killing the animal there and then, he kept it, took it home and brought it to the bar.

It is legal to kill wolves in the part of Sublette County, but by keeping the animal alive and tormenting it as Roberts did, he was violating hunting ethics. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department confirmed that a man had been cited and fined for the misconduct, but did not name them.

However, Sublette County Circuit Court records showed Roberts was cited for a wildlife violation from an incident on February 29. 

Witnesses said not long after this photo was taken, Roberts dragged or carried the animal through the Green River Bar as patrons swilled beer 

Roberts, 42, of Daniel, Wyoming, was cited and fined for being in possession of a live wolf during an incident on February 29. He is pictured here with a dead animal he presumably hunted

According to public records, Roberts has a hunting and fishing license. 

Roberts did not immediately respond to the DailyMail.com's request for comment. 

Adam Hymas, the responding officer, was also contacted but DailyMail.com did not receive a response as of publication. 

'An anonymous reporting party notified the Wyoming Game and Fish Department that an individual was alleged to be in possession of a live wolf,' Game and Fish said.

'The reporting party notified the Department on March 1, 2024. According to the investigation, the individual possessed the live wolf on 2/29/24.

'The individual was hunting when he came across the wolf in the predator zone and intended to harvest it. 

'However, the wolf was transported alive back to his residence and later to a business in Daniel, Wyoming. 

The 42-year-old, who is a father and owns a trucking company, ran the wolf down with a snowmobile and disabled it - but instead of killing the animal there and then, he kept it, took it home and then brought it to the bar

Based on Roberts' social media accounts, he appears to be an avid hunter who frequently hunts wild animals alongside his kids (pictured here)

About 85 percent of Wyoming is a 'predator zone' for wolves - meaning that the wild animals can be killed at any time with no bag limit or hunting days required

'The individual euthanized the wolf later that day. The individual was cited for violating Chapter 10, Importation and Possession of Live Warm-Blooded Wildlife.'

Roberts paid a $250 fine, records indicated.

About 85 percent of Wyoming is a 'predator zone' for wolves - meaning that the wild animals can be killed at any time with no bag limit or hunting days required. 

Areas of Wyoming close to nationals parks are considered a 'trophy hunting zone' - meaning that wolves are a 'trophy species' that can be hunted but only by hunters with tags during designated seasons and within predetermined quotas.

Inside Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks wolves are under full federal protection and are not allowed to be hunted.