>> Related story: Louisiana cop arrested on 40 counts of animal sex abuse

Yetman, who has been a Bossier City police officer since 2014, was initially placed on administrative leave in November following an investigation that began in August with a tip to state police officials. That investigation led detectives to obtain a search warrant for Yetman's electronic devices, on which they found evidence of pornography involving the sexual abuse of animals.

Yetman was charged with 20 counts of sexual abuse of an animal by performing sexual acts with an animal and 20 counts of sexual abuse of an animal by filming sexual acts with an animal, state police said.

Authorities did not disclose at the time what species of animal was abused or if multiple animals were involved. According to In Defense of Animals, an animal rights organization that has compiled 20,841 signatures on a petition demanding the stiffest punishment for Yetman, the victimized animal was a dog.

"Prosecutors indicate the abused dog, a Belgian Malinois whom we suspect is a retired police dog, is being moved from the local animal shelter to an animal rescue in Texas," the petition states.

KTBS reported that Yetman's dog, named Boss, was confiscated by state troopers following his arrest. It was sent to the Texas rescue to save it from remaining in the animal shelter.

The court in February gave permission for the dog to be neutered for his health and safety and given “the alleged activity that has taken place between dog and human,” a court document obtained by the news station states.

Doll Stanley, a campaign director for the California-based In Defense of Animals, traveled about five hours from Mississippi on Thursday to deliver the petition to Bossier Parish District Attorney J. Schuyler Marvin, the Times reported.

"We will let Bossier County 26th District Attorney Marvin Schuyler know we are watching this case very closely and that we fully expect Yetman to be prosecuted for each of the forty counts of felony animal abuse and that no plea deals or mercy should be offered for his atrocious crimes," the petition states.

Stanley said in a news release Friday that thousands of her group's supporters were moved by the "horrific case" and want to see justice for the dog that was abused.

"A healthy society protects its innocents: Vulnerable children, animals, elderly citizens. Sexual predators must be made to fear the loss of freedom and a stinging financial impact," the statement read. "We call on District Attorney Schuyler Marvin to take zero tolerance stance on bestiality and prosecute Yetman to the fullest if he is found guilty."

TROOP G NEWS RELEASE - Bossier City Man Arrested on Animal Sexual Abuse Charges: Yesterday, 38-year-old Terry Yetman of Bossier City turned himself in on charges of animal sexual abuse. More info can be found at https://t.co/pDQyj01Ld2 pic.twitter.com/zusitJMMoF — LA State Police (@LAStatePolice) December 20, 2018

The crime of sexual abuse of an animal fell under Louisiana's statute regarding crimes against nature until last year, when a bill signed by Gov. John Bel Edwards was enacted to clarify and strengthen the state's laws against bestiality. According to the bill, a person who commits sexual abuse of an animal faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.

Anyone who commits a second or subsequent offense faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

According to Louisiana law, anyone convicted of possession of child pornography faces between five and 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 for the first conviction. For a second or subsequent conviction, a person faces between 10 and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $75,000.

It is unknown if Yetman will face federal child porn charges.

Yetman was honored just two months before his arrest for his "outstanding effort over the year to champion the protective rights of domestic violence victims and their families," according to the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office. He was a recipient of the 2018 Trey Hutchison Award, which is named for a Bossier City policeman killed in August 2004 as he responded to a domestic violence call.

A 2010 news report from KSLA in Shreveport indicates, however, that a Desoto Parish sheriff's deputy named Terry Yetman was asked to resign amid allegations he used excessive force against a woman named Donna Craig who was racing to a hospital after her fiancé was badly burned in an explosion at their home. Then-Sheriff Rodney Arbuckle admitted that Yetman "overreacted" when he encountered the woman as she arrived at the hospital.

Craig later sued Yetman and the Sheriff’s Office. Federal court records show the lawsuit was settled out of court in 2013.