Terrence Cody under investigation for animal cruelty, report says, as Ravens announce his release

UPDATE: The dog was originally described as a Bull Mastiff. However, newer articles describe the dog as a Presa Canario and say that Cody and his uncle ran a Presa Canario breeding business in Alabama.

MARYLAND -- The Baltimore Ravens are parting ways with defensive tackle Terrence Cody, and doing it a little earlier than expected. The Ravens announced on Friday they would terminate Cody's contract after the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. Cody was scheduled to become a free agent when the NFL year ended on March 10.

The Baltimore Sun reported on Friday that Cody is "under investigation for animal cruelty," although he has not been charged with a crime, according to the Baltimore County police. The case involves a dog, the Sun reported, citing unnamed sources

FOX Sports reported that Peter Schaffer, Cody's agent, said the animal-cruelty case was a misunderstanding after the football player's dog had died due to worms.

Schaffer told the Baltimore Sun the Ravens were rushing to judgment after the death of a bull mastiff.

"The fact that the NFL has created such an atmosphere of hysteria that tramples on due-process rights, the right of law and common decency is a tremendous problem in our league and society," Schaffer told the Sun. "This young man's dog has died, and the Ravens were so worried about possible ramifications from the league that they took a preemptive strike."

"He loves this dog. Why would he have the dog treated otherwise? This guy is the salt of the earth. You would hope the state attorney in Maryland would be investigating the real crime and real issues. I would hope for the citizens of Baltimore County and Baltimore City that they would expect their public tax dollars to be used on real criminal issues."

The New York Daily News reported Baltimore County state attorney Scott Shellenberger declined to provide details, but said his office should determine if charges were merited in about a week.

Cody signed a one-year, $730,000 contract with the Ravens in April. Cody's four-year rookie contract signed in 2010 was worth $3.07 million.

Cody will be free to sign with any team upon his release, rather than having to wait for the NFL year to end to sign with a new team.

(AL.com - January 23, 2015)