WAREHAM — A Middleboro woman faced charges of 20 counts of animal cruelty, subsequent offense, in Wareham District Court Thursday, Nov. 7 after officials said they found 17 dogs, two cats and one guinea pig neglected and lacking water and food at her home .

Twenty other dogs were found dead in caskets and a freezer on the property, according to police reports. 

Kimberly Savino, 43, of Middleboro pleaded not guilty to the charges, which resulted from a warrant executed Oct. 18 at a home at 53 Precinct St. 

Animal Control officers subsequently found the 20 animals, including 17 dogs and two cats in crates in the basement, according to police reports, where “the smell of feces became very strong.’’

Most of the animals appeared emaciated, the police report stated.

One dog was breathing, but unresponsive and unable to move, according to the police report. The dog was transported to Chase Veterinary Clinic to be evaluated. The remainder of the dogs were taken by MSPCA-Angell in Boston. They have since been returned to the care of Middleboro animal control.

A separate investigation by the MSPCA found six horses on the property, knee deep in mud, official reports stated. The horses lacked adequate nutrition and showed signs of rain rot, a bacterial skin infection caused by exposure to moisture. 

State’s attorney Nicole Piacentini requested that Savino post a cash bail of $5,000 and be ordered not to have contact with animals. 

Savino’s attorney, Ian Hency, argued that she should be released on her own recognizance and asked that the no-contact order be amended to allow her to interact with three dogs owned by her parents, who live in western Massachusetts and who he said she helps care for.

Judge Edward Sharkansky agreed to release her on personal recognizance.

This is not the first time Savino has faced animal cruelty charges. In 2014, Piacentini said, she was charged in Michigan with animal cruelty, in a case that also involved dogs.

She was placed on probation for five years and was fined $40,000, Piacentini said.

Hency referred to that case when arguing against cash bail, noting that Savino regularly drove from Massachusetts to Michigan for her court appearances in that case.

Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz said after the arraignment that the investigation into Savino’s case continues. 

“We cannot allow animals to be put in this condition,’’ he said.

Savino will next appear for a pre-trial hearing Dec. 10. 

Middleboro Board of Health Agent Kayla Smith said she was “relieved’’ that court proceedings had begun. She said this will allow the process of adopting out the animals to begin soon.

The animals have become less aggressive and anxious, she said, since they have had human interaction at the Middleboro shelter. “They’re cuddlebugs,’’ she said with a smile.

She thanked the community for what she described as a tremendous outpouring of support for the dogs. The town had requested donations of food, beds and cash to support their care and for volunteers to walk and otherwise care for the dogs.

The response was so positive that no further donations are needed as of now, she said.