LISBON — An East Palestine woman pleaded not guilty during arraignment Monday on four counts of prohibitions concerning companion animals related to 21 animals seized from her home due to alleged unsanitary conditions.

Jennifer Albert, 38, West Main Street, was ordered to have no companion animals as a condition of her recognizance bond for the misdemeanor charges. She’s scheduled to face a pretrial at 10:45 a.m. Aug. 3 on the misdemeanor charges.

The original affidavit said animals were found at her address on April 3 “in conditions of extreme filth, causing suffering, lack of grooming and ear mites. Defendant admitted to being the owner and caretaker.”

The affidavit was filed by J. Jeffrey Holland, an attorney prosecuting the case on behalf of the Columbiana County Humane Society.

Columbiana County Humane Agent Fabian Pike reported previously that 18 cats, two rabbits and one dog were seized from the residence for unsanitary conditions.

According to the complaints, from Feb. 1 to April 3, Albert was the custodian or caretaker of the animals and “did negligently torture, torment, or commit an act of cruelty against the companion animal.

A report by Columbiana County Humane Agent Fabian Pike was included in the case file regarding the day he responded. He was met on site by officers from the East Palestine Police Department who accompanied him to the residence. He said that the property owner initially denied permission to enter and check the residence, but after explaining that he had sufficient evidence for a search warrant, if necessary, she gave permission for him to enter.

Pike said that despite initially being told there were only two cats inside the residence, he immediately found eight cats once he was inside. He also noted that conditions within the residence were severe enough that his eyes began to water upon entry. He described in detail what he found inside, with the two rabbits in cages and the dog on a couch with a patch of hair missing. After leaving, he returned and found even more cats. The total number of animals removed from the residence included 18 cats, one dog and two rabbits.

mgreier@mojonews.com