WINTON (AP) - A jury found two animal rights workers not guilty Friday of animal cruelty for euthanizing cats and dogs they took from shelters, but both were convicted of littering for dumping the carcasses in a trash bin.

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Adria Hinkle and Andrew Cook, two employees of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, were cleared of eight misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Hinkle also was found not guilty on three felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.

Both received a 10-day suspended jail sentence and a year of supervised probation, meaning neither will serve jail time. Their van will be confiscated by police and each was ordered to pay about $4,000 in fines and restitution, and perform 50 hours of community service.

As she left the courtroom after the two-week trial, Hinkle said she was relieved. “Justice was served,” she said.

Cook and prosecutors didn't comment after the verdicts were read.

Hinkle and Cook had testified that they euthanized the animals in the back of their van to relieve the animals' suffering. They said they disposed of the bodies in Hertford County, instead of driving them back to PETA offices in Virginia, because the smell was overwhelming.

The animals were picked up from several shelters in Northeastern North Carolina.

“The important thing is the jury recognized they were never guilty of cruelty,” PETA spokeswoman Kathy Guillermo said. “We're relieved; we're happy.”

Guillermo said the verdict would have little impact on PETA's continuing operations in North Carolina.

About 80 people listened to closing arguments earlier Friday, including PETA workers, shelter and veterinarian hospital workers and curious residents of Winton, a small town about 130 miles northeast of Raleigh.

“It's a disgrace,” said Andrea Press, a member of Responsible Dog Owners of Eastern States. “PETA preaches to everybody not to hurt and kill animals. And they just proved it's OK for them to do it. They're hypocrites.”

Hinkle, 28, of Norfolk, Va., and Cook, 26, of Virginia Beach, had each faced 21 felony counts of animal cruelty until Grant reduced those charges Thursday, saying prosecutors failed to prove malice, a necessary element of the felony charge.

The pair was arrested in June 2005 after police said they saw them dump several bags of dead animals into a trash bin behind a grocery store. Police said they found more dead animals in the pair's van.

Local shelter officials said they were unaware that PETA planned to euthanize most of the animals it picked up, but a PETA official testified that she told county officials of the policy.

The three felony charges against Hinkle stemmed from accusations that she told animal hospital workers she would find homes for a cat and two kittens she picked up in June.

“We're here because the defendant, Miss Hinkle, went to the Ahoskie Animal Hospital and lied to get an animal and then kill it,” District Attorney Valerie Asbell said during closing arguments Friday.

Hinkle testified that she told the hospital she would take good care of the animals.

Cook's attorney, Mark Edwards, said shelter workers and veterinarians all knew that at least some of the animals they turned over to PETA would be euthanized because of the animals' poor health.

“These kids are pawns between law enforcement and PETA,” Edwards told jurors. “They did what was going to be done anyway, and they did it in the most humane way possible.”