An ongoing rescue effort at a Julian animal sanctuary in bankruptcy proceedings led to the transfer of hundreds of animals to shelters — and the humane euthanizing of four horses, a pony, a bull and at least one kitten, officials said Monday.
The “difficult decisions” to put down the ailing animals were made after multiple veterinarians agreed that was the best course of action for the animals, said Jace Huggins, chief of Humane Law Enforcement for the San Diego Humane Society. A search warrant was executed on the property Friday.
Teams from San Diego, aided by staff from the Pasadena Humane Society and Marin Humane, worked all weekend to evaluate, treat and relocate cats, dogs, farm animals and birds to other shelters. Some appeared healthy and stable, while others were found to be without adequate care and husbandry, officials said.
Huggins said he saw skinny horses that could barely walk with teeth and hoof problems, and cats with untreated injuries. Providing proper care for such a large number of animals at the 40-acre site would take a large staff, he said.
San Diego Humane Society staff members Natalia Garcia, left, and Marielle Legaspi wheel rescued cats into the facility on Monday. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“Basic, standard medical care and husbandry was not being met,” he told reporters gathered outside the Humane Society building in San Diego’s Morena neighborhood. “While I was on scene, I found a cat that had a massive wound on its neck, where you could see deeply, deeply into its neck’s musculature, that was just open. And a cat that was completely missing its ear for unknown reasons. We saw horses that were horribly thin … The animals on the property deserved so much more.”
As of Monday, 334 cats had been transported to the Humane Society’s San Diego and El Cajon campuses. Thirty dogs and dozens of other animals, including alpacas, sheep, goats, pigs, geese, ducks, turkeys and peacocks, were also moved to Humane Society shelters or county Animal Services facilities.
Huggins said another 50 to 100 cats are believed to remain on the property. Between 160 to 165 horses and ponies are also still at the sanctuary, because officials decided it was safer to treat and care for them there instead of transporting them to other locations.
“The care assessment and documentation and treatment of the horses is ongoing at the property,” he said. “We have teams and veterinarians on site every single day caring for the horses.”
More than 90 people have filled out forms on a county website identifying themselves as former owners of animals that had been relinquished to the sanctuary and are providing photos of the animals. Huggins said teams are working to identify and match owners to their horses and other animals with hopes of reunifying them.
Staff examine some of the cats transported from an animal sanctuary in Julian on Saturday under a rescue operation led by the San Diego Humane Society. Hundreds of animals were living on the 40-acre site. (San Diego Humane Society)
He urged people to fill out the form on the website sdhumane.org/julianrescue so officials know who to contact, “We don’t know who owns any of these horses,” he said. “We have a lot of evidence, but as of yet, we have not found a lot of documentation in relation to where these animals originated.”
Among the people who have come forward were the former owners of two of the horses that had to be euthanized. Huggins said they were contacted by Humane Society staff “to make sure that they understood what was going on.” He said they agreed with the decision.
“We want to be clear that any suggestion that any of these animals were taken simply to be put on a wait list for euthanasia is absolutely, fundamentally not true,” he added.
Huggins said a criminal investigation is underway to try to determine if animal neglect charges should be filed against the sanctuary’s owners, and that evidence is still being collected.
Villa Chardonnay Horses with Wings has rescued more than 600 animals, according to its website, which further describes the organization as being “dedicated to providing a forever home to animals who have been abandoned, neglected, or abused, ensuring they live out their days in peace and comfort.”
Heidi Redman, a spokeswoman for the sanctuary, defended the work of Villa Chardonnay founder Monika Kerber and her partner, Mercedes Flores.
“There is no neglect, no abuse of any of these animals. They were well taken care of,” Redman told City News Service. “There is definitely another side to this story, and it should be told. They’re devastated. These animals were like their children. They (investigators) even took their house dogs, their personal dogs.”
Redman said Kerber and Flores were treated like criminals, had their phones confiscated and were not allowed into their house until 11 p.m. Friday.
Federal court records indicate the organization filed for bankruptcy last year. The filing lists several creditors, including San Diego Gas & Electric and the Internal Revenue Service.
People who want to donate money in support of the rescue are asked to go to sdhumane.org/julianrescue.