An Arkansas pastor has been arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated animal cruelty. Police obtained a search warrant for the home of Charles Thessing after receiving a tip from animal control.
Thessing is the pastor of St. Michael Church in West Memphis, Arkansas, according to the church’s website.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of animal cruelty that some readers might find disturbing.
The video was sent from animal control to the West Memphis Police Department (WMPD). The content of the video has not been publicly disclosed, but Thessing is accused of drowning cats.
When WMPD officers arrived at Thessing’s home, they reportedly discovered two deceased house cats that appeared to have been drowned in a water tank. They also found animal traps.
Kerry Facello, director of the West Memphis Animal Shelter, said in a statement that the city takes “all matters of public concern seriously, especially those affecting the well-being of animals in our community.”
“Animal cruelty cases are a top priority, and we will always enforce the law to protect the animals in our care,” Facello said.
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Facello said that the investigation is ongoing. “The deliberate harming of an animal is 100% unacceptable,” she emphasized.
