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Bitz pleads not guilty to neglect
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Bonnie K. Bitz In court Wednesday
MONROE - A Juda woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Green County Circuit Court to charges of mistreating animals.

Bonnie K. Bitz, 46, is charged with four counts of mistreatment of animals causing death, all class I felonies, and two counts of failure to provide food for animals, improper animal shelter and intentionally mistreating animals, all class A misdemeanors. She faces up to 17 years in prison and up to $80,000 in fines, if convicted.

The court scheduled an April 29 pretrial conference.

Bitz appeared before Green County Circuit Court Judge James Beer with her attorney, Brian D. Bucholtz.

Animals were seized from Bitz's residence Feb. 24 by the Green County Sheriff's Department.

Twenty of the dogs taken from her were turned over to the county Feb. 13 after she failed to pay a $2,100 bond to provide care for the animals while they're being taken care of at the Green County Humane Society at the county's expense.

Goats and horses were also seized from Bitz Feb. 24. Green County corporation counsel Bill Morgan filed a civil complaint against Bitz Feb. 28 in regard to care of the horses and goats. She is scheduled to appear in court today for a hearing about them.

According to the criminal complaint, filed March 4, Bitz failed to properly feed and give water to 17 indoor dogs, all mixed breeds of Pekinese, Terrier and Labrador retriever. The complaint states Bitz failed to provide water and food, other than the remains of a sack of dry dog food and several animal carcasses in the unheated farmhouse.

It also states that Bitz failed to provide water to three adult mixed breed dogs. Bitz also fed the three dogs the carcasses of two dead Holstein calves.

Bitz remains free on a $5,000 signature bond.