BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A woman arrested after police say they found nearly a dozen dead dogs at her Bakersfield properties appeared before a Kern County judge Tuesday. Twenty-two-year-old Annie Schreiber make her first appearance in court after she was arrested Friday and pled not guilty.
The investigation began on August 11th after police said they received a call from a resident about a foul odor coming from a home in the 100 block of Bernard Street.
Officers obtained search warrants for that property, along with two others associated with Schrieber, and found a total of eleven dead dogs along with 29 other dogs and three cats in need of medical attention.
In court, the prosecutor said the dogs were starved, dehydrated, and exposed to hot conditions. The prosecution also said Schreiber actively sought out animals online and that many of the deceased dogs were found decomposing in trash bags and kennels in a garage.
Investigators said Schrieber had operated an unlicensed animal boarding and training business and was the one responsible for the neglect.
Schreiber's defense said she had no prior criminal history in Kern County but has undergone treatment for her mental health in the past.
A press release from the Bakersfield Police Department says a number of the animals were microchipped. Some have been returned to their owners while others are recovering at the city's animal care center.
Schreiber's bail is set at $140,000. She faces 14 counts of felony cruelty to an animal and is expected back in court on October 6th.
23ABC reached out to the animal care center. Officials there declined to speak with us about the condition of the animals or the treatment they would need.
