General District Court Judge Marcus Brinks on Tuesday ruled the 58 dogs seized from a Patrick Springs would be forfeited, with custody released to a rescue agency in Roanoke.

According to terms of the rescue agency, as outlined by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dayna Kendrick, Brinks said Caroline Laprad would owe the more than $75,000 billed by the Angels of Assisi for caring for her dogs since July 26.

If Laprad agreed to release her dogs to the rescue agency, she would owe nothing, Brinks said.

Laprad, 89, wept openly in court after learning the fate of her dogs.

She also vowed to fight to keep them by filing an appeal.

A friend, who attended court with Laprad, as well as Brinks, explained the amount of money she could owe for the dogs’ care would continue to climb until a final resolution is reached in the case.

Laprad made her way to the front of the courtroom Tuesday, carrying a pinkish plastic hospital style tote filled with papers.

Brinks had continued a previous hearing in the case to allow Laprad time to hire an attorney.

She told the court Tuesday she was unable to find a lawyer to represent her.

Brinks told Laprad she could testify in the civil case if she chose.

He also advised her that anything she said could be used against her in the criminal case in which she faces 14 counts of animal cruelty.

Those charges will be heard at a later date.

Laprad decided to not testify in the case, nor did she present any of the paperwork.

She did, however, apologize.

“I am so sorry. I am so stupid, I don’t understand the law,” she said.

According to previous reports, Ronnie Williams, animal control officer, said he visited the home in late May. He alleged multiple dogs appeared to be suffering from severe skin conditions and other signs of neglect.

Williams said he spoke to Laprad’s son at that time and told him to seek veterinary care for the dogs, the release stated.

When Williams returned to the home for a check-up on July 26, he alleged conditions were deplorable, and the dogs were seized. The Angels of Assisi then transported the animals to their facility in Roanoke.

Laprad, who formerly lived in Roanoke, said during a recent telephone interview she decided to move to Patrick County after her husband, Paul, died. Having lived on a farm when she was younger, Laprad said she wanted to return to a more rural area and settled on a rental home in Patrick Springs.

Laprad said many of the seized dogs were brought here by a rescue agency.

She did not know how many dogs she had at the time, she said, but noted most of the dogs were spayed and/or neutered.

A couple of the dogs were not, she said, and added three became pregnant after she moved here.

When the puppies were old enough to wean, Laprad said she kept the adult dogs and gave the puppies to a rescue agency in Roanoke.

Laprad said she does not know how many dogs she had. “I never counted, so I can’t swear to it and I won’t lie about it. I just loved them and that was it. I love them all the same and I tried to treat them all just the same.”

Laprad several of the dogs would be upwards of 20 years by early 2018.

“The old ones are still not in what you’d say in perfect health, but they’re in good health,” Laprad said. “At least they’re able to eat, drink, potty and go outside. To me, that’s pretty good for an old dog.”

She was working on getting rabies vaccines up-to-date, Laprad said, but added she couldn’t afford all of the rabies vaccines at once because she lives on a pension and must budget her money.

“I can’t choose between them. If somebody takes your babies away from you that you’ve had all those years … it just doesn’t seem like God would let them, but I guess he did,” she said. “I don’t know what I could do to take better care of them and love them any more than I was doing.”

Her son, Charles Laprad, 54, also was charged July 26 with 14 counts of animal cruelty. He is being held in the Patrick County Jail with no bond.

The rescue group did not return calls or respond to other messages for comment.