400 animals discovered on farm
Lancaster, CA (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Jan 1, 2008
County: Los Angeles

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Ivan George Callais, Jr

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

On January 14, 2008, hundreds of neglected animals were found on a ranch in Lancaster, according to broadcast reports. Some of the sick animals, including both farm animals and dogs, had to be euthanized, local media reported.

The man who owned the animals, lived in a camper trailer and was nowhere to be found, local media reported. "When we walked in there were some dogs dead in a wheelbarrow," Jay Weiner of The Gentle Barn Rescue staff said. "There were babies, puppies, that were dead in some of the stalls. The chickens had come over and flown into some of the stalls and they were half eaten in there, and the dog cages, the dogs had no food and no water and very poor shelter. It was very cold -- it's been cold, it's been below 30 degrees every night -- so the water's come in and there's 2 inches of ice."

Some of the dogs were pregnant, and several nonprofit animal groups were helping out with the animal rescue and cleaning up the ranch, according to the TV station. They said they hope that residents will adopt some of the animals. All the animals were in need of medical attention, and most were taken to Animal Acres in Acton, Ellie Laks of The Gentle Barn told The Signal newspaper in the Santa Clarita Valley. They will be quarantined until veterinarians can examine the animals, she said. "Many of the animals had no water and no food," Laks told the newspaper. "We just found gasoline in the small amount of water left for the dogs.

This is an enormous undertaking and we need volunteers desperately." Animals included 30 cats, 40 chickens and turkeys, 100 goats and sheep, a llama, an emu, a pregnant horse, three potbellied pigs and a 600-pound farm pig. Many of the animals were pregnant, Laks said. Anyone wanting to volunteer to help deal with the rescued animals was urged to call The Gentle Barn at 661-252-2440.

Case Updates

References

• - January 20, 2008

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