NORTH HERO, Vt. (AP) — A woman who rented a mobile home where police say 80 animal carcasses were found is fighting animal cruelty charges. Ashleigh Tillson pleaded not guilty to 88 counts of animal cruelty on Thursday and was
NORTH HERO, Vt. (AP) — A woman who rented a mobile home where police say 80 animal carcasses were found is fighting animal cruelty charges.
Ashleigh Tillson pleaded not guilty to 88 counts of animal cruelty on Thursday and was released with conditions.
Tillson’s landlord had reported seeing the windows of her mobile home in South Hero covered with flies and said Tillson had not lived there for some time.
The Grand Isle sheriff’s office said eight pets were found alive: two rabbits, four lizards, a hedgehog and a chinchilla. Police said they found dozens of carcasses of various types of animals, including rabbits, ferrets and reptiles. Court papers said 30 dead animals were found in a freezer.
“There were some ferrets that were nothing left of them but fur and bones,” said Dr. Peggy Larson, a veterinarian, according to WCAX-TV.
Tillson’s ex-boyfriend told investigators that she would ask him for money for bills but would use it to buy more animals.
Tillson’s public defender did not immediately respond to a phone message or an email seeking comment.
