A Ledyard woman has been charged with cruelty to animals after she was found drunk with a pellet rifle in her garage, which was littered with feathers from birds she admitted to shooting, according to Ledyard Police.
Police officers responded to a home on Meetinghouse Lane in Ledyard Wednesday to investigate after receiving reports that 49-year-old Melinda Bennett was shooting birds off of her birdfeeders daily, police said.
Officers who went to the house found Bennett intoxicated and holding a pellet rifle in her garage, police said. The garage floor was covered in fresh blood and feathers and police said Bennet admitted to shooting birds.
Bennett was charged with reckless endangerment and cruelty to animals.
She was released on a $500 non-surety bond and scheduled for court on Sept. 28.
