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AKRON, Ohio -- A former Akron pet store employee accused of drowning two rabbits has plead not guilty to two counts of animal cruelty.

Liz Carlisle, 20, of Ravenna, entered the plea at a protest laden arraignment on Monday.

Dozens of protesters from the animal rights group PETA gathered outside Akron's Municipal Court an hour before Carlisle was scheduled to arrive. Several held signs calling for Carlisle to receive the maximum penalty for each animal cruelty charge, six-months in jail, totaling a year in prison, if she were found guilty.

Carlisle was charged earlier this month with the crimes after she allegedly bragged on her MySpace page about drowning the animals.

The case led Petland Inc. to close the Akron store where Carlisle worked. The chain said the rabbits suffered "horrific mistreatment."

Carlisle did not speak at her arraignment, but her attorney Ron Gattes told the court that Carlisle, "regretted the whole situation."

A small scuffle broke out prior to the arraignment as PETA protesters attempted to enter the same elevator Carlisle used to ride to her scheduled hearing. A unnamed man pushed two protesters out of the elevator as its doors were closing.

Carlisle pre-trial hearing is scheduled for September 3rd.