LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) — The woman accused of holding several dogs in her home and abusing one of them was arraigned Thursday night in Lancaster town court.
Andrea White pleaded not guilty to both injuring and torturing an animal and felony grand larceny.
A judge set bail at $2,500 due to White failing to appear to several past court appearances for other unregistered dog cases.
She told News 4 she loves dogs and would never hurt them.
The situation started when Keith Linkner said he hired White to watch his dog Nyxxi while he was away.
He said when he tried to arrange a time to pick up Nyxxi, White told him the dog ran away.
White said she was in a small car accident and Nyxxi jumped out of the car along with one of her dogs.
Linkner eventually called police when White stopped contact with him. She said she stopped contact with Linkner after the dogs were missing for about a week and he kept harassing her.
Police executed a search warrant at White’s house last week.
They said they found nine dogs inside including Nyxxi.
White claimed she found Nyxxi on Route 5 just 20 minutes before police showed up.
Nyxxi has neck wounds, a broken leg, and missing teeth. She needs her leg amputated.
White said she noticed Nyxxi limping but didn’t notice the wounds on her neck and wasn’t aware of them until asked about them by News 4.
White said aside from Nyxxi, the dogs belong to her family. Police said only two of the dogs they found are registered to White.
She said the allegations are lies.
“They’re ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, I would never hurt a dog. Anyone who knows me would know they’re my life, my puppies are my life, any dog I see I am that person when the dog is walking down the street, ‘let me pet the dog,’ I care more about the dog than the person. It is what it is, it’s just made up lies and they get twisted around,” White said.
Activists were outside court before the arraignment.
“This is important because we have to be the voice for these animals. If she gets away with this it’s an open door for every other abuser out there. She’s been doing this for a long time and she’s finally caught and we have to be the voice for Nyxxi,” said Kimberly Rodeffer.
White also said police didn’t take two other dogs and left them in the house.
White said she has all the texts between herself and Linkner. News 4 asked to see them and she declined, saying she didn’t have them on her as she printed them out for her lawyer.
White’s lawyer said in court he expects her to remain in custody for at least a few days and set the next court date for August 30 at 6 p.m.
There is a GoFundMe to help pay for Nyxxi’s vet bills.
Kayla Green is a reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here.