The San Diego Humane Society is leading a large-scale rescue and investigation after hundreds of animals were found in poor conditions at a sanctuary near Julian.
The operation, now in its fourth day, is unfolding at a 40-acre property known as Villa Chardonnay Horses With Wings. Humane societies in Los Angeles and Pasadena, as well as other agencies are on site helping assess, treat and transfer the animals.
The case, one of the largest hoarding situations the organization has ever seen, involves more than 350 cats, around 165 horses and several ponies, more than 30 dogs, and dozens of other animals, including donkeys, alpacas, geese, chickens, roosters, goats, ravens and a crow.
Officials said some animals appeared healthy, but many others required immediate medical attention. “I found a cat that had a massive wound on its neck where you could see deeply into its neck musculature. A cat that was completely missing its ear,” said Jace Huggins, chief of Humane Law Enforcement for the San Diego Humane Society.
The agency was notified of the case, when they were asked to administer vaccines to the animals, amid a developing bankruptcy filing that required transfer of all the animals. Investigators said the registered nonprofit advertised itself as a place where animals could receive end of life care or avoid euthanasia at a shelter.
Most of the animals have since been transferred to other facilities for care. However, officials said a small number, including kittens and horses, were in such poor condition that they had to be euthanized.
“It truly is appalling. It really is. There’s no question in my mind that this is in the best interest of those animals welfare,” said Gary Weitzman, CEO of the San Diego Humane Society.
Authorities said multiple agencies had been looking into the property for years. On Friday, the San Diego Humane Society served an 18-page search warrant and reported finding widespread neglect.
Because the investigation is ongoing, officials have not released details about potential criminal charges. But if convicted of some type of animal cruelty charge, the accused could face sentences ranging from jail time to animal ownership bans. Monday, the investigators declined to share the identities of the owners. But on the nonprofit’s website, there is a description of the founder and history.
“I think for me at least neglect cases are harder because oftentimes in many of the neglect situations it starts off with someone who wants to do the right thing and just can never figure out where the line is,” Huggins said.
For now, the focus remains on caring for the animals and ensuring they receive proper treatment.
“Making sure everyone is getting the feed they need, making sure everyone is getting the care, we have veterinarians going horse by horse intake exams documentation of everything,” Huggins said.
Huggins said that a factor in neglect cases is the absence of one single state agency tasked with monitoring and regulating shelters, sanctuaries and rescues. There are ongoing legislative efforts to change that.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.