ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. -
Inside a St. Johnsbury, Vermont courtroom Monday Louise Townsend, 64 of St. Johnsbury, had a hard time keeping quiet as she pleaded not guilty to 20 counts of animal cruelty.
Her chatter didn't stop outside.
"Animals come before I do and I am just sick and tired of this whole ordeal," said Townsend.
Earlier this month police say they found dozens of rabbits inside Townsend's garage.
13 were dead and the living was in rough shape.
"You weren't abusing them?" asked FOX44/ABC22.
"I wasn't abusing them!" said Townsend.
Police say while the rabbits had food, it was too much and the cages weren't cleaned out.
A tough sight for animal lovers.
"There were just cages thrown everywhere. You just knew by looking at it. It was not a great situation," said Riverside Rescue president Sharon Eaton.
Eaton is taking care of the remaining 24 rabbits.
She says they were deprived of water, had no room to move and some had ear mites.
Riverside Rescue mainly deals with dogs and cats so when it had to take care of so many rabbits leaders here say they had to reach out to other rescue groups to learn how to take care of them.
Townsend's been in trouble before for check fraud and says while on parole, her probation officer suggested she get a hobby.
Townsend said she went to rabbits.
But now she's hoping that curiosity doesn't land her back in jail.
"I got a lot to say and it ain't fit to be heard," said Townsend.
As part of her conditions of release, Townsend is not allowed to get any more animals; however, she is allowed to keep the ones that weren't removed from her home.
Because the rescue group is not used to housing rabbits, the riverside rescue group is looking for donations or volunteers to help watch the animals.
To learn more on how you can help, click here.
