The Webster County Sheriff’s Department charged a man with animal cruelty following a weekend traffic stop.
Deputies were conducting the traffic stop on U.S. 82 when they discovered a pit bull in the trunk of a vehicle about 11:50 p.m. Friday, according to a sheriff’s office release and broadcast reports. The department said a pit bull was also in the front seat of the vehicle.
The driver was arrested for animal cruelty and two traffic violations — improper equipment and no insurance. Webster County Jail records identified him as Michael Long, 21.
Long was released on a $1,000 bond Sunday afternoon. Cruelty to animals in Mississippi is a misdemeanor with a fine up to $1,000 or imprisonment up to six months.
The dogs had gone unclaimed as of Monday morning, according to the sheriff’s office. Anyone who is missing two pit bulls is asked to contact the Webster County Sheriff Department at 258-7701 and must be able to identify the dogs to claim them.
