Sheriff’s deputies arrested a Gaylesville woman on Saturday afternoon for 17 counts of cruelty to animals.

According to Sheriff Jeff Shaver, Cherokee County deputies responded to a call of endangered animals in Gaylesville along the Chattooga River. The animals, ducks, rabbits, birds and cats, were in cages and endanger of drowning in the rising flood waters along the river.

The owner, Dana Marie Head, age 59, was not home when law enforcement arrived. Deputies decided to cut the locks on the cages and several people in the area assisted in rescuing the animals.

Unfortunately, two of the animals were already deceased. Cpl. Nick Vaughn and Deputy John Sentell took the suspect into custody when she arrived back home. She was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center.