Accused Animal Hoarder Arraigned

The Tehachapi woman accused of hoarding dozens of animals was arraigned Wednesday in Mojave. The woman, claiming to be Anita Gilbert, was arrested in July after animal control found more than 50 dogs and cats in her Tehachapi home. While awaiting her original arraignment, Gilbert skipped town. She was found last Friday by a bail bondsman at a friend's house in Reseda, Calif. After her arrest, authorities discovered 20 cats, including one dead in the freezer of her Oxnard Motel room. Gilbert was arraigned Wednesday on charges of threatening a public defender who was supposed to be defending her on animal cruelty charges from July. After the conclusion of her arraignment, Gilbert had an emotional outburst about her new public defender. "No, but he works for the public defender's office. They told me to commit suicide last night in jail, please tell Sheriff Youngblood...they gave me two razors, and they wouldn't give me my cancer medication," said Gilbert. Gilbert's pre-preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m. Her bail is set at $500,000.