Jul 29, 2008 12:21 am US/Pacific
Dog Bloodbath In Santa Cruz County Breeder's Home
SANTA CRUZ (CBS 5) ―
Animal control officers in Santa Cruz County have uncovered a disturbing scene. They found dozens of abused dogs, a countless number of dead dogs, including the head of a decapitated animal at a home in Santa Cruz County.
Animal services officers raided the house on Deer Creek road, near Boulder Creek over the weekend. Neighbors say they've complained about the property for years.
"Everybody was concerned about it," said neighbor John Miller.
"Something was off about him," said another neighbor, Chris Daly.
The house: back down a long driveway, hidden by trees, with signs posted that tell all who approach to "keep out."
"I can hear dogs throughout the night…but I was getting no response at Animal Control, so what do you do?" Miller said.
So when animal control officers and police showed up here on Friday, neighbors said it was about time. But for the owner…"He wouldn't give us access to the property," said Santa Cruz County Animal Services field manager Todd Stosuy.
Officers came back on Saturday with a warrant. Once inside, officers walked into a gruesome scene.
"We saw animals with severe mange, severe skin conditions," Stosuy recalled.
On the property, they found a dead dog lay next to a chair on the roof and outside in back, sat skulls.
"We found some skulls laid out in a strange pattern, we're still trying to determine why they were laid out in that particular pattern," Stosuy said.
Black evidence bags hold something even more gruesome: a severed dog's head that had been hung in a tree.
"What we ended up finding was I think shocked myself, some of our seasoned investigators as well as the sheriff's deputies who were on the scene," Stosuy said.
Santa Cruz County animal services seized 38 dogs from the property. Some of them are puppies just days old. Their mother's face bears scars, she shrinks from human touch.
But the rescue came too late for the numerous dead dogs found on the property and neighbors wonder why it took so long.
"For that to go on for a decade and get worse and worse, it's pathetic. They should be ashamed of themselves," neighbor Chris Daly said.
Documents obtained by CBS 5 Investigates show Santa Cruz County knew of problems at the property six years ago, in 2002. In fact, animal services sought a warrant to inspect the property to investigate allegations of animal mistreatment. In 2005, county planning department investigators cited the owner for code violations including operation of a kennel.
So why didn't anything happen? "The decision in this case by our hearing officer was that the animal control officer did not have probable cause to be on the property in the first place. Our hearing officer said that didn't stand the legal test," said Ken Hart of the County of Santa Cruz Planning Department. "Could it all have been avoided? If you want to rewind the clock, possibly."
Animal services said on Monday that they did establish probable cause this time. CBS 5 Investigates has tried to reach the owner for comment. Officials with Animal Services said he took off into the woods when the warrant was served.
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