Debe Bell, Colo. Rabbit Farmer, Found Guilty On 35 Counts Of Animal Cruelty (PHOTOS)

Debe Bell, 59, a Colorado rabbit farmer who operated Six Bells Farm, has been found guilty on 35 counts of animal cruelty, The Denver Post reports.

Bell was charged with 55 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty after authorities raided her Six Bell's Farm in Arvada in July of 2011 and found the rabbits in "inhumane and cruel" conditions, 7News reports. She was found not guilty of animal cruelty in the deaths of 20 rabbits found in a freezer on the farm's property.

Jefferson County Sherrif's Office released this press statement about the shocking conditions the rabbits were kept in, "After Officers and veterinarians' did an initial inspection of the rabbits and the conditions they were being kept in, it was determined that the 200 rabbits needed to be seized for their welfare. The rabbits are being transported to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds for further evaluation and care by Foothills Animal Shelter."

The arrest affidavit describes horrifying conditions:

• Piles of feces and pools of urine in many cases so profound that the animals are sitting or lying in it.
• Impossible to determine sex of many of the rabbits due to severely matted and filthy coats.
• Unacceptably high ammonia levels caused by excessive urine.
• Many of the rabbit's coats are so severely matted that they cannot urinate or defacate without extreme difficulty.
• There is a lack of food and water, resulting in "terrible dehydration" which is evidenced by "tacky gums."
• 75% more rabbits housed in the shed than the space allows.

The arrest affidavit went on to describe rabbits with severe eye discharge, nasal discharge and even a dead rabbit and another with a neurological disease. When Animal Control Officers and medical personnel placed clean bowls of water in front of the rabbits, the sick animals "lunged" at the bowls of water.

Bell's attorney, Elizabeth Kearney, hoped to beat the charges against her client with the claim that Bell's rabbits should be considered livestock, not pets, and that Jefferson County Sherrif's are incorrectly enforcing standards for domesticated animals, according to The Denver Post.

Bell is scheduled for sentencing in March, she could receive up to 18 months in jail for each count of animal cruelty.

Photos taken at the scene of Six Bell's Farm animal cruelty call in July 2011. The animals were seized due to the conditions, following a search warrant. Courtesy of Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. WARNING: PHOTOS ARE GRAPHIC.

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Photos taken at the scene of an animal cruelty call in July 2011. The animals were seized due to the conditions, following a search warrant. Courtesy Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

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Photos taken at the scene of an animal cruelty call in July 2011. The animals were seized due to the conditions, following a search warrant. Courtesy Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

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Comments

[bouvdoggie]

05:45 PM on 02/02/2012

Livestock regulations should never be any different from pet stock regulations. In this case, that argument is just plain stupid as fur needs to be fluffy and free from severe matting. Rabbit meat isn't from these tiny things.

[aphextwin07]

11:42 AM on 02/02/2012

I had rabbit for the first time over the weekend at Jaleo. It was pretty good.

[Jessica Kleinschmidt]

06:20 PM on 02/01/2012

This is ridiculous! To claim that they are live stock and that it was OKAY for these rabbits to be forced to live this way is outrageous. First on the list of contradicting her lawyers claim (that they were only livestock) are - 1) she sold rabbits as pets to people 2) she let the wooly breeds become so grossly matted with feces and urine 3) only other option for "livestock" is meat - she didn't feed them regularly, they lacked water, what water they had contained fecal matter, poor air circulation, no room for exercise to maintain muscle. So how is this lawyer going to sell it.... that she was really able to sell diseased malnutrition rabbits for meat or matted fecal ridden fur to spin into sewage yarn....... If she is of sound mind then she deserves jail time - If she is found to have a degenerative condition of the mind then she needs to be placed in a home where she can get the proper care.

[LauraTara]

10:28 PM on 01/31/2012

We met this human at tha National Western Stockshow and actually bought a bunny from her. Our bunny Twinkle is a delightful little sweetie and I feel so fortunate that she didn't have to return to that hellhole. Please note that this story describes the lack of protection "livestock" animals have. It seems that livestock don't deserve protection from cruelty. Maybe we should start a movement!

[GWChimpzilla]

02:37 PM on 01/31/2012

Six Bell's Farm has a website that hasn't been updated since 2004. Looks as though that lady went crazy and nobody noticed. So sad for those rabbits in cages and filthy conditions.

[Bufford P Tusser]

09:16 AM on 01/31/2012

sorry, clicked to the wrong thread

[Bufford P Tusser]

09:15 AM on 01/31/2012

Typical "the ends justify the means" rightie.

[butchbuss00]

07:00 AM on 01/31/2012

SHOULD PUT THE FARMER IN THE CAGE

[fixthe]

09:26 PM on 01/30/2012

Were these animals raised for food or pets? I know the woman's lawyer said these were "livestock, not pets", but I'm just curious as it wasn't clear to me.

All animal cruelty really saddens me, but I became the owner of a sweet little rabbit a little over a year ago, and it's so hard to see all those beautiful bunnies in such a sad condition. I hope they regain heath and find loving families soon.

[organizedchaos]

01:18 AM on 01/31/2012

Why would it make any difference? Even livestock are entitled to a reasonable level of food, water, and care while they live.

[Chris Berry]

02:27 AM on 01/31/2012

Not necessarily true. All but a few states exempt livestock from animal cruelty laws as long as the cruel treatment comports with a "customary agricultural practice". So if the rabbits are livestock, the woman only needs to prove that its customary to overcrowd them and keep them in dirty cages. Sadly, this argument would have a decent shot at winning.

[fixthe]

02:30 AM on 01/31/2012

I absolutely agree, I was just curious. They look like several different breeds of rabbit, and the only rabbits I've seen raised for food were white.

Also I totally noticed a typo in my post. I hope they regain HEALTH, not heath. ;)

[burningbird]

03:46 PM on 01/31/2012

For those curious about her attorney's claim that the rabbits were sold only for meat, check out the Six Bells web page.

http://sixbellsfarm.com/

[I AM BRO]

08:37 PM on 01/30/2012

i would like to punch her in the face

[kathy001]

10:52 AM on 01/31/2012

I would like to put her in a small cage, deny her adequate food and water, and let her live in her own waste for a few weeks.