MCRAE, Ark. — A resident of McRae has been found guilty of animal abuse and additional charges after a series of events concerning local pets.
Jack Moore, 57, was convicted last week of eight charges, including a misdemeanor charge of animal abuse, and now faces a potential felony charge in a different case involving the alleged tossing of another cat into the street and its subsequent death.
One of the individuals affected, Tracy Koch, mentions that her five-year-old cat, Bella—a black cat with one eye and declawed—went missing in early May. Koch suspects her pet was captured and killed by Moore.
She was trapped and I believe she was killed,” Koch stated. “He claimed she was left there, and I went to the location he mentioned, but I didn’t find her or any cats.
Koch states that Bella was kind-hearted and never caused any trouble for the people living nearby.
She regularly returned home in the evenings. She never disturbed anyone,” Koch stated. “My neighbor had free-roaming rabbits, and she never showed any interest in them. I don’t believe I did anything wrong—just allowing her to be outside led to her death.
As stated by McRae Police Chief Dakota Burks, Moore confessed to capturing Bella but then said he just let her go somewhere else. Authorities found that this behavior qualified as animal cruelty under Arkansas state law, which mandates that animals must be provided with ongoing care and protection.
The cat Bella belonged to someone. He was aware of that, and our investigation confirmed he knew it,” stated Chief Burks. “This will not be accepted here. There should be no location where someone can be cruel to an animal.
Moore received a 15-day jail term, 80 hours of community service, and an $1,000 penalty specifically for the animal cruelty offense. Altogether, he was mandated to pay approximately $8,000 in fines and complete 85 days of community service. His 180-day prison sentence was put on hold—only the 15 days he must serve remain active. He has not yet surrendered, although officials have set a deadline for him to do so.
“If he doesn’t, he might face the entire 180 days in jail,” Burks stated.
Moore is currently facing a felony charge related to a different incident where he is accused of throwing a neighbor’s cat into the street, leading to the animal’s death. This case is still scheduled for trial.
In addition to the animal-related charges, Moore was found guilty of six instances of harassment against women employed at City Hall. Koch mentions that the issue worsened over several months before people fully understood the severity of the situation.
We had a few outdoor cats that disappeared—five or six during that period,” she said. “Now that he’s gone, we’re beginning to notice some cats returning. They aren’t the same ones, but it’s still happening.
Koch has also initiated a small claims lawsuit against Moore, requesting $1,300 to offset Bella’s lifetime veterinary costs—the highest amount permitted in small claims court.
Someone needs to stand up for the animals. They can’t advocate for themselves, and this sort of cruelty must not be ignored,” she stated. “If someone is willing to do this to animals, what other actions are they capable of?
Moore, who has not been spotted in the region since his conviction, is also prohibited from entering his own property following a protection order filed by his mother, who is 77 years old and relies on a wheelchair. Koch asserts that he had tried to remove his mother, going as far as cutting off utilities at the residence.
In reaction to the accusations and public criticism, Moore issued a written statement to KARK, stating that he is challenging the convictions and that the circumstances are politically driven:
I was acquitted of harassing communications for recording and sharing a video showing the director of the McRae Water Department using municipal equipment to cut the lawns of city workers during work hours. The federal civil rights lawsuit related to this case is still proceeding. I was also found not guilty of additional charges. The charges I was convicted of are all under appeal to a higher court. I have resided in McRae, Arkansas for more than ten years without any issues until I began revealing the corruption in the city. Now, they are trying to make people think I am a criminal. This is not finished, and I will be proven innocent through the appeal process.
As per Burks, Moore is not currently held at the White County Jail and has a “specific number of days to surrender himself to finish his jail term.” Burks mentioned that the jail is giving Moore time to handle personal affairs before he turns himself in to serve his 15-day sentence. However, he is currently released on bond for the felony animal cruelty charge while awaiting his trial.
As the criminal case approaches trial, Koch states she is glad the community is starting to return to normal—however, she mentions she will keep pushing for stronger measures against animal abuse.
I believe if we start focusing on it, hopefully it will come to an end,” Koch stated. “Because none of this was needed. Those cats didn’t bother anyone—and they certainly didn’t bother him.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This content cannot be published, aired, altered, or shared again.
For the most recent updates, weather forecasts, sports coverage, and live video streaming, visit KARK.
