The warrant says there were 75 percent more rabbits living in the home on West 75th Avenue than was acceptable and that some of the animals had "tacky gums," a sign of dehydration.
Sheriff's deputies also allege "many of the rabbits' coats are so severely matted that they cannot urinate or defacate without extreme difficulty" and that there were "unacceptably high ammonia levels caused by excessive urine."
The rabbits' owner, Debe Bell, has been charged with numerous counts of animal cruelty and is due to appear in court for the first time Sept. 12.
Her lawyer, Elizabeth Kearney, plans to fight the charges. Kearney has said that Bell properly cared for her rabbits and that any mats they had were naturally occurring and acceptable in number.
She has said that she believes authorities are trying to make an example out of her client.
Kearney said she believes Bell's rabbits should be considered livestock and that Jefferson County authorities were enforcing the standards used for domesticated, or pet, rabbits.
Most of the rabbits are now in the care of the Foothills Animal Shelter, where a shelter spokeswoman said they are becoming increasingly social. Some of the rabbits were scheduled to go up for adoption beginning today, but court proceedings have delayed the process .
The seizure began after authorities received a tip from a new Crime Stoppers line that allows people to anonymously report potential animal cruelty cases.
About 4:49 p.m. on July 19, Jefferson County Animal Control received a tip, originally reported to several other agencies and forwarded along the chain, that a person who had been on Bell's property in mid-2010 "observed about 200 rabbits being kept in a shed with little or no light and in filthy and cramped cages," according to the warrant.
A Jefferson County Animal Control officer visited Bell's house about 9 a.m. July 23 and a man staying there let the officer into the home. The officer contacted a local veterinarian and Bell's rabbits were seized later that day.
(Denver Post - August 17, 2011)
