Alabama: Puppy mill owner, Beverly Baker, 76, pleads guilty to animal cruelty

ALABAMA -- A 76-year-old Elberta woman who had a dog-breeding operation at her home pleaded guilty Monday to animal cruelty and illegal injection of rabies shots, officials said.

In exchange for the pleas, a charge of running a business without a license was dropped against the woman, Beverly Baker, according to Elberta Police Chief Stan DeVane.

“Instead of having a long drawn-out trial we told them we would drop” the business license charge, said DeVane.

Baker was fined $500 for cruelty to animals and $100 for failure to have a license to give rabies shots, said DeVane.

She was also placed on two years' probation and ordered that she could only have three small pets, according to the police chief. She cannot participate in any breeding or selling of animals.

The Baldwin County Humane Society took 51 dogs from the house, according to Deneen Balistere, the group's dog adoption coordinator.

(Press-Register - May 15, 2012)

Earlier:

• Animal cruelty charges being considered against 76-year-old woman
• Arrest in Elberta Puppy Mill