Two Norfork residents are now facing animal cruelty charges in Baxter County, Arkansas. On October 4, 2026, the Baxter County Sheriff's Office arrested a 40-year-old man and booked him on three counts of Cruelty to Animals. A 37-year-old woman was charged with animal cruelty as well. According to jail records, the man had been booked by the sheriff's office 25 times before this arrest.

Even with multiple cruelty counts and that history, each person's bond was set at only $1,380. Their first court date is November 19.

Animals can't call for help or testify about what happened to them. They rely entirely on prosecutors and judges to take cruelty seriously. When these cases end in a quiet plea deal or a small fine, the animals involved can end up right back where they started.

Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge, who handles cases in Baxter County, has the power to pursue every count in this case. Arkansas law also lets prosecutors ask a court to hand abused animals over to an animal welfare group or animal control, instead of returning them to the people accused of hurting them.

Both people are innocent until proven guilty, and they deserve a fair trial. But a fair process should also be a serious one. If the charges are proven, the punishment should match the harm, and the court should make sure the people responsible can't own or care for animals again.

Sign the petition to ask Prosecutor Ethredge to pursue every count, move any rescued animals to safe care, and seek a ban on future animal ownership before the November 19 court date.