A MAN has drowned his pet birds and tried to burn his pet rabbits in a bizarre domestic violence episode.

Tweed-Byron Local Area Command crime manager Acting Inspector Saul Wiseman said police were called to a property at Inlet Dr, Tweed Heads West on Thursday night.

Upon entering the premises they found the house to be destroyed, there were picture frames with stab marks on them, a smashed television, tables turned over and a ransacked kitchen.

"Police will further allege they found a female's clothes down the toilet where the accused has defecated on top," Acting Insp Wiseman said.

"He then carried drawers filled with the victim's clothes and dumped them on the back lawn and set them on fire."

Acting Insp Wiseman said the man, 30, threw the family's rabbit cage, with two rabbits, on the fire.

When the cage smashed the two rabbits broke free and escaped.

In an act of animal cruelty the man also threw a bird cage with two birds into the pool and drowned them.

Police attended the scene at 10.10pm with NSW Fire and Rescue who extinguished the flames.

The man's partner was not home during the rampage.

The offender fled on foot but was later detained and charged with malicious damage, breaking an apprehended violence order; malicious damage by fire and two counts of committing an act of cruelty upon an animal.

Today he appeared at the Tweed Heads Local Court and where bail was refused and his case adjourned until April 2.