Virginia Farmer Is Sentenced to Jail on Felony Cruelty Charge

April 2003

PETA worked with the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department in a case involving 58 cows who died of starvation and three cows who had to be euthanized because of severe malnutrition. Commonwealth Attorney Marsha Garst charged the farmer responsible with a felony count of cruelty to animals and nine counts of misdemeanor animal neglect. He eventually pleaded guilty to those charges as well as 15 misdemeanor counts of failure to dispose of dead animals. He was sentenced to six months in jail and two years on probation, slapped with a $7,500 fine, and forbidden to own livestock.

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