Elizabethanna Austin / Cullman Police Department
CULLMAN – A Cullman woman is behind bars after being arrested and charged with 21 counts of cruelty to animals. Elizabethanna M. Austin, 33, was arrested on April 6 by the Cullman Police Department (CPD).
CPD Officer Rodney Banister said, “Last Monday I received a call to Warnke Road Northwest and found seven dead puppies, seven dogs in a pen without shelter or water and seven cats being held in small wire dog kennels without food or water and in very poor condition.”
According to Banister, also found were two chickens in a cardboard box without food or water and another puppy in poor condition that was not doing well.
“(The) report was made and 21 warrants issued, and she was arrested Friday,” said Banister.
Austin’s bail was set at $1,000 for each offense. She remains incarcerated at the Cullman County Detention Center.
Code of Alabama
Section 13A-11-14
Cruelty to animals.
(a) A person commits the crime of cruelty to animals if, except as otherwise authorized by law, he or she recklessly or with criminal negligence:
(1) Subjects any animal to cruel mistreatment; or
(2) Subjects any animal in his or her custody to cruel neglect; or
(3) Kills or injures without good cause any animal belonging to another.
(b) Cruelty to animals is a Class A misdemeanor and on the first conviction of a violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both fine and imprisonment; on a second conviction of a violation of this section, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both fine and imprisonment; and on a third or subsequent conviction of a violation of this section, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than three thousand dollars ($3,000) or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both fine and imprisonment.
(Acts 1977, No. 607, p. 812, §5565; Act 2010-550, p. 977, §2; Act 2013-369, p. 1326, §1.)
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