Michael Patrick Turland, 43, of Arizona, admitted freezing some of the animals while they were still alive, the Mohave County Sheriff's office said.

He has been charged with 94 counts of animal cruelty.

Images from the scene "were absolutely disgusting and heart-breaking", said sheriff's spokeswoman Anita Mortensen.

"As an animal lover I was crying just looking at them," she told the BBC, adding that the photos were too graphic to release.

Authorities are now searching for Mr Turland's wife, Brooklyn Beck.

The man's arrest came after police received a tip-off from a member of the public, who told police she had left snakes with Mr Turland to breed, but he had vanished after a few months and she was unable to get them back.

The woman told police she had been contacted by the property owner after Mr Turland and his wife moved out of their home in Golden Valley.

She said when the owner came to clean the apartment, a freezer full of dead animals was found in the garage, including some of her snakes.

Officers found dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats, and rabbits among the animals frozen.

Ten days later, police received reports Mr Turland was back at the house, and they arrested him.

His motive for freezing the animals is unclear.