WASHINGTON PARISH – A woman was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and resisting officers on Thursday after deputies found three malnourished dogs in an abandoned house in the area. 

According to the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to reports of dogs killing a neighbor's chickens due to the dogs being neglected and not being fed. 

A detective went to an abandoned home off of Highway 60 in Washington Parish where the three dogs were located. As other deputies arrived, an inspection of the property was conducted. 

According to the sheriff's office, dog feces was found throughout the house and no water or food was found. A detective was able to identify the owner of the house as 38-year-old Christine M. Rester and found her at her mother's home nearby. 

Rester was advised of the complaint and was reminded of the leash law in the parish. When Rester was being arrested, she became very belligerent, yelled and cursed at the officers and refused to sign the summons, according to the sheriff's office. 

As one of the deputies attempted to place handcuffs on Rester, she began to resist and pulled away. She burned one of the deputies on the arm with her cigarette, then smashed the lit cigarette on another deputy's uniform shirt. The sheriff's office says when Rester was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car, she still resisted and threatened the officers. 

Rester was booked on three counts of cruelty to animals, three counts of public intimidation, resisting an officer with force or violence, battery on an officer with injury and an outstanding warrant. She was transported to the Washington Parish Jail and remains in jail on a $10,000 bond. The neglected dogs have since been cared for.