Bench warrant issued for NC couple accused of abandoning cats
A bench warrant has been issued for a Garner, North Carolina couple accused of abandoning 17 cats on Thanksgiving weekend. This PoC article tells of their arrest January 12, 2017.

Terry Ray Beasley and Tamara Perez-Lazaro were scheduled to appear before a Johnston County judge on April 24. When they failed to appear a bench warrant (not a felony warrant) was issued for the couple.
A bench warrant is an arrest warrant issued by a judge or court, most commonly when a defendant fails to appear at a scheduled court hearing. This is also known as a “Failure to Appear,” or “FTA,” warrant.
Police aren’t known for going out and tracking down those who have these warrants issued against them if the crime doesn’t put others in danger. Instead, they play a waiting game (and with Terry Ray Beasley’s past criminal activities, it probably won’t be a long wait).
A person is usually caught through no fault of their own. For instance, the next time either of them is pulled over in a vehicle, even for a thorough road check, their name will be run through the system by the police officer. Or if police are called to a home for a domestic disturbance each person present can expect being checked for outstanding warrants.
Once found, Perez-Lazaro and Beasley will be taken into custody and held until they pay the bond (the amount of money the court has determined that they owe) or until an appointed time when the judge can see them and decide the next step.
With their track record, I’d about bet on neither of them being released on any bond until the case is heard by the judge. Until they’re caught or turn themselves in, we wait.
Can anyone reading this who is knowledgeable in the legal profession leave a comment on how the bench warrant being issued will impact their case when they are caught?
As of April 27, 11 cats dumped by the couple have been found safe, one was found dead and five are still missing.
Elisa