Vidalia &8212; The case against Debbie Palmer is one Judge Leo Boothe feels needs attention, animal or not.

Palmer, arrested in February on cruelty to animal charges, will face 10 counts of animal cruelty and face sentencing on July 13.

But Boothe &8212; the Seventh District judge &8212; has made sure the issue doesn&8217;t lay dormant between now and then.

&8220;I told the sheriff&8217;s office to supervise her, to check fences and make sure her animals are taken care of,&8221; Boothe said. &8220;She&8217;s an animal herself, but deserves to be treated fairly.&8221;

On April 12, Boothe found Palmer guilty on three charges of animals at large involving incidents on U.S. 65/84 and Louisiana 3219. In one of the incidents on Jan. 8, a horse was hit and killed by a vehicle.

Palmer, 930 Eagle Road, Vidalia, was served a warrant by Concordia Animal Welfare animal control officers in early April. She spent one night in jail as a result of the warrant arrest. Following warrants, some of Palmer&8217;s 50 horses were removed from her care. Boothe ordered the horse seized from her to be returned pending the case&8217;s outcome.

&8220;We are just trying to make sure the animals are treated fairly, due process is followed and justice prevails,&8221; Boothe said.

The statute under which Palmer was convicted in the first three charges does not call for jail time, making a fine and/or community service a likely penalty.