Jury selection started Monday in the trial of a Manatee County couple facing animal abuse charges.

Alan and Sheree Napier are facing charges after more than 300 animals at their Napier's Log Cabin Horse and Animal Sanctuary in East Bradenton were confiscated last year.

The Napiers are charged with 15 counts of aggravated animal cruelty, and Alan Napier is also charged with one count of fraud. The animal cruelty charges involve nine dogs, five horses and one cat.

About 150 potential jurors are being interviewed in the search for eight people who will sit on the jury. All are being questioned about how familiar they are with the case because of all the media attention and community concern it received.

Alan, 51, and Sheree, 45, were arrested in April 2014, two months after more than 300 dogs, cats, horses, pigs and other animals were confiscated from their property.

Judge Peter Dubensky is also asking the prospective jurors if being a pet owner is a problem for them.

"The point is to serve as a fair juror," said Dubensky, with the 12th Judicial Circuit.  "You have to be able to say to the Napiers and their lawyers, and to me, you know what? I want to hear the evidence."

The trial is expected to last eight days and wrap up by Wednesday of next week.

If convicted, the couple could face up to 85 years behind bars.