NATCHEZ — An Adams County man is serving 30 days in the Adams County Jail after pleading guilty to shooting and killing one of his sister-in-law’s dogs.

Elijah Theodore Gatlin, 69, pleaded guilty in justice court Thursday morning to animal cruelty, said Lt. Cal Green of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.

Judge Eileen Maher, Green said, sentenced Gatlin to 30 days in jail for the offense.

Green said the incident was reported Tuesday at 36 Canvasback Court in Adams County.

“We had a complaint from the owner of the dogs, who said her brother-in-law came out and shot her dog,” Green said. “He came outside and without provocation shot one of the dogs and threw him into the creek behind the house.”

The dog’s owner, Carie Gatlin, said she was feeding her five pit-bulls scraps of meat when the shooting occurred.

“Two of them got into it over the food,” Carie Gatlin said, “so he shot one of them.”

Green said Carie Gatlin reported to deputies that she had to take her husband to the hospital for a medical issue shortly after the shooting and when she got back home Elijah Theodore Gatlin told her he had killed two other dogs.

“The deputies could not locate them,” Green said of the other dogs. “Deputies came out and found the dog in the creek.”

Green said deputies charged Elijah Theodore Gatlin with animal cruelty, which carries a maximum fine of $1,000 and or six months in jail.

“All he got was 30 days,” Carie Gatlin said of the sentence. “That’s all he got for killing my children (the dogs).”

Green said Elijah Theodore Gatlin’s sentence could change if deputies find evidence that he may have killed or injured any other dogs in the incident.