Rescue of several neglected animals in Pajaro could land owner with several charges

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County officials said they rescued 26 neglected animals from a property on Hudson Landing in Pajaro, and added that the owner could be charged with several offenses.

SPCA officials said they received an anonymous tip about animals living in horrible conditions at the property.

According to SPCA, the report stated that the animals were confined in their own feces and urine, that there were dead animals in the bottom of a well, and that animals were being slaughtered on the property with the meat sold to customers.

The SPCA rescued 15 rabbits, four sheep, three lambs, three goats (two who are pregnant) and one chicken. One severely emaciated lamb did not survive despite emergency veterinary care. In addition, one lamb was found dead, according to officials.

SPCA officials said the animals were found on cluttered property full of junk, rotten food, rats and freezers splattered with old blood.

Rabbits were kept in small cages filled with several inches of feces. The goat pen had multiple feet of feces sealing the door to the pen shut and piled so high the ground was only about four feet from hitting the roof of the barn. The sheep pen was so saturated in feces and urine that when it rained, the excrement washed down the hillside and into a fire pit where the owners cooked the animals. The pit was filled with waste water and had a dead baby goat floating in it, officials said.

One female sheep was limping badly and had an injured eye impacted with feces; she was severely emaciated and appeared to be lactating but did not have a baby. One baby lamb was found dead and another was very weak, emaciated and dehydrated. According to SPCA that lamb did not survive. One 6-month-old male sheep suffered horrible diarrhea and was very weak.

The Monterey County Healthy Department is investigating this case.

The owner could be charged with several offenses including animal cruelty and deprivation of food, water and shelter.