Animals

County Authorities Seize 58 Large Animals from Campo Property

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Nearly five dozen sick and starving llamas, horses, sheep, goats and cattle were seized from a Campo property and taken to the County’s animal shelter in Bonita on Friday.

The animals’ owners, Nenette and Raymond Wyatt, and their employee, Michael Darnell, are facing criminal charges. The District Attorney’s Office was reviewing the case Friday.

Nenette Wyatt is currently on probation for a 2010 misdemeanor animal cruelty conviction, Animal Services Deputy Director John Carlson said.

The 58 animals seized Friday are all underweight, some severely, and the horses’ hooves are overgrown, he said.

 “We wanted to get them out of that situation and over to our place where they’re going to have food and they’re going to have water,” Carlson said.

A vet examined the animals at the shelter Friday. Those that can be rehabilitated will ultimately be available for adoption, Carlson said.

The investigation began Nov. 9 when Campo sheriff’s deputies and County animal control officers responded to a report of ten animals dumped on a dirt road west of Buckman Springs Road in Campo. The officers found nine goat carcasses and one barely-alive llama that had to be euthanized at the scene.

Authorities questioned the Wyatts and Darnell and determined the animals came from their Buckman Springs Road property.

During the investigation, necropsies of the llama and goats revealed the dead animals had no parasites or diseases and most likely died of starvation. A veterinary assessment of the animals on the Wyatt property showed they all were seriously underweight and some were starving.

Authorities gave the Wyatts specific orders and instructions for housing and feeding their animals.

When Animal Services learned the veterinarian’s instructions were not being followed and animals were in urgent danger, the department moved quickly to impound the animals, Carlson said.  

Early Friday morning, County Animal Services staff, the Sheriff’s Department and the San Diego Humane Society worked for hours to remove the animals from the property, using livestock trailers to take them to Bonita. The sheriff’s SWAT team was there to keep the peace, and the operation went smoothly.

The Wyatts apparently kept their livestock to rent out for petting zoos, children’s birthday parties and small fairs. County animal control officers have visited the Wyatts many times since 2002 and worked with the couple to try to get them to improve their animal care, which was typically “borderline” between legal and illegal, Carlson said.