Jose Merced, 46, accused the city of Euless, Texas, of trampling on his constitutional right to religious exercise, but U.S. District Judge John McBryde sided with the Fort Worth suburb last year and dismissed the Puerto Rico native's claims.

The city says animal sacrifices jeopardize public health and violate its slaughterhouse and animal cruelty ordinances.

Judge Rhesa Barksdale asked city attorney Bradford Bullock how Merced's animal sacrifices differ from a hunter bringing home a deer and butchering it.

Merced's lawyer, Eric Rassbach, said Merced sacrificed animals at his Euless home for 16 years without incident and is willing to "quadruple bag" the remains and dispose of them in a way that doesn't jeopardize the public's health.