McRae man speaks out against allegations of animal abuse

Yahoo

21-05-2025

MCRAE, Ark. — Jack Moore, a longtime resident of McRae, Arkansas, is pushing back against growing allegations of animal cruelty, claiming he is being wrongfully accused while trying to protect his property and livestock.
Moore, who says he has lived in McRae for 12 years, is at the center of what he called feral cats, the deaths of baby rabbits he was raising and what he calls a campaign of harassment from city officials and residents.
'I've lost 18 baby rabbits to cats,' Moore said. 'I set live traps on my property to catch the cats that are killing my livestock. I bait the traps with chicken scraps and when I catch a cat, I don't harm it—I take it outside of town and release it. That's not abuse.'
McRae police investigating 'pure evil' animal cruelty case
Moore says the nearest animal control agency refuses to deal with stray cats, leaving him no choice but to handle the situation himself.
'What else am I supposed to do? I'm not killing cats. I'm trying to protect my baby rabbits,' he said.
According to Moore, his actions are legal under Arkansas law, which permits residents to protect livestock from predatory animals. He claims that the trap placement near his back fence is strategic—meant to catch cats before they reach his rabbits.
'There's been no cats killed, no animals treated inhumanely,' Moore asserted. 'Most of these cats are feral. I open the cage door and they run. If someone's cat ended up in my trap, it was on my property, going after my animals.'
He further refutes community rumors that he has harmed cats, including claims that he threw a cat over a roof.
'I'm 5'11', 163 pounds, with a bad shoulder. I couldn't throw a cat over a roof if I wanted to,' Moore said. 'That cat would have had to fly 100 feet. It's just not physically possible.'
Moore acknowledges one incident where a dead cat appeared in his yard, but insists he had nothing to do with its death.
'I found the cat in the road early one morning—probably got hit,' Moore said. 'I went back inside, came out later and someone had thrown it into my front yard. I tossed it back in the road.'
The ongoing situation is now the focus of an on-going investigation by McRae Police.
Moore says officers recently approached him about a confrontation with a cat, which he denies ever occurred. He also accuses city officials of targeting him for exposing misconduct.
'This is malicious prosecution. I've filed affidavits for the arrest of city employees over corruption,' Moore said. 'They don't want me talking. That's what this is about.'
Nearly 200 dogs seized from ex-NFL star in dogfighting case
Moore alleged retaliation from the McRae Police Department and city officials, including Police Chief Dakota Burks.
'I've documented everything. Videos are on my YouTube channel—me being denied public records, ejected from City Hall by Dakota Burks under threat of arrest,' Moore said.
He believes the allegations are being used as a tool to silence him.
'The prosecuting attorney is trying to shut me up. The judge keeps setting $1,000 bonds for charges I haven't committed,' Moore said. 'Since April 9, I've gone to jail six times—for nothing.'
Moore also addressed accusations involving Loretta Horn, a woman he claims he previously had a relationship with and who he says has been used in an attempt to bar him from his own property.
'There's a no-contact order now, and I will be filing a motion to get it removed,' he said. 'They're violating my rights, my due process.'
Despite his legal troubles, Moore says he has no intention of backing down.
'I will fight every charge in court. I'm not out here causing problems—I'm defending what's mine,' Moore said. 'I don't own a gun. I'm not violent. I just want to raise my animals in peace.'
Last Hope Canine Rescue helps rural animal shelters in the Natural State
Moore says he has contacted the Arkansas State Police and other officials in hopes of launching an investigation into what he calls widespread corruption in McRae.
As of this writing, no charges related to animal cruelty have been officially filed against Moore. But Chief Burks said he 'guaranteed' a warrant would be issued for Moore's arrest 'no later than Friday.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.