Abita Springs-area Man Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges

William McIntyre, age 43 and of the Abita Springs area, was arrested last week on animal cruelty charges after St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s deputies observed a malnourished dog and her puppies at a residence on McIntyre Road.

Deputies were responding to a “keep the peace” call Thursday (July 29, 2021) at a residence on McIntyre Road near Abita Springs in reference to a property dispute among family members, when they observed a female pit bull and her two puppies, who were all malnourished and emaciated. The mother and at least one of the puppies appeared to be suffering from a case of mange, and the mother had open wounds and sores. There was no water or food provided for the dogs, and the heat index at the time exceeded 108 degrees. 

McIntyre admitted to having not sought veterinary care for the mother in over a year and never for the puppies. He was charged with one count of Aggravated Cruelty to Animals and two counts of Simple Cruelty to Animals. He was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail and St. Tammany Parish Animal Control took possession of the mother dog and the two puppies.

Sheriff Smith would like to remind everyone that as temperatures continue to remain high in South Louisiana to make sure that you provide adequate water and shade for your pets.

“Our pets cannot tell us when they are hurting or when they are thirsty,” Sheriff Smith said. “They rely on us to care for them, and in this case this man failed to provide the bare minimum of care for these dogs. I thank the deputies for being observant and making sure the dogs were ultimately cared for properly.”