58 Goats, Sheep, Horses & Llamas From San Diego Ranch Seized In Animal Neglect Investigation

The San Diego County Sheriff's Department has seized 58 animals on a ranch — horses, goats, sheep, cattle and llamas — as a part of an investigation into whether the ranch's owners were neglecting their animals.

Nennette and Raymond Wyatt, the owners of the ranch in eastern San Diego county, had previous reports of animal cruelty filed against them, according to a local Fox affiliate. Investigators were tipped off that 10 animals carcasses had been dumped on a dirt road not far from the ranch. They found animals that were dead or dying of starvation: nine dead goats and a llama that had to be put down.

The 58 animals seized on Friday were taken to a local animal shelter. No criminal charges have been filed yet.

Animal dumping is a big problem in rural areas of Southern California, like the Inland Empire. Earlier this year, the discovery of a skeletal horse named Mommas tied up without food or water in Ontario broke our hearts. Riverside County Department of Animal Services said earlier that they've responded to 41 reports of dumped horses (a number that has surely gone up). Experts say some owners can't afford the rising prices of food in a depressed economy and they can't afford the few hundred dollars it costs to euthanize their animals.