San Diego Humane Society Provides Update on Ongoing Care of Animals Rescued from Villa Chardonnay
Nearly two months after San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) took over operations at the Villa Chardonnay property in Julian and rescued 728 neglected animals, the organization continues to make progress while providing daily care for the animals.
At the height of the response, SDHS cared for more than 700 animals, including horses, cats, dogs and livestock. Today, 107 horses remain at the Julian property, where staff and volunteers continue to provide medical treatment, nutrition and rehabilitation. SDHS is staffing the property around the clock with an incident command structure, led by its Humane Law Enforcement, to ensure the animals are safe during this ongoing investigation
Among the horses cared for is a grade horse affectionately nicknamed Oscar. Oscar, who has Cushing’s disease, a swayback (muscle wasting) and a severely neglected coat, has become a staff favorite as he receives regular grooming and medical care.
“Our team has made incredible progress, but the work isn’t finished,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. “Many of these horses are seniors with significant medical needs and they deserve the time, attention and resources necessary to help them recover and move on to brighter futures.”
Recent efforts at the property have focused on ongoing veterinary care, including dental work, hoof care, diagnostic testing and treatment for chronical conditions. Approximately half of the remaining horses have already received dental and farrier care, with additional treatments continuing in the coming weeks.
SDHS has also been managing a precautionary equine Strangles quarantine, after one horse who left the site tested positive for the contagious bacterial disease. Equine Strangles is a common disease that can emerge when horses experience stress, particularity when animals have come from environments where preventative care was limited.
Veterinary experts believe it is possible the horse who tested positive may have been an asymptomatic carrier of the bacteria and began shedding it due to the stress associated with the transport and relocation. To date, 11 horses tested have returned negative results. An onsite veterinarian continues to oversee the horses’ health and medical care while the team works toward safely resuming placement efforts.
“Disease prevention is a critical part of large-scale animal rescue operations,” said Dr. Weitzman. “Out of an abundance of caution, we implemented quarantine measures, increased testing and are closely monitoring every horse.”
Meanwhile, SDHS’s work with the 446 cats rescued from the property and two additional kittens born, is nearing completion. Since the rescue began, 305 cats have been adopted, including 269 through the organization Working Cats Program, which places under-socialized cats in outdoor homes where they can be cared for by their owners and thrive. An additional 84 cats have been transferred to partner organizations.
Just 11 working cats from the Julian rescue remain in care as the organization continues to seek appropriate placements. Many of the rescued cats required extensive medical treatment, including specialized dental procedures. Veterinary teams report the cats have recovered well and are thriving in their new homes and environments.
The dog population from Villa Chardonnay has also steadily declined through adoptions, transfers and reunifications. Out of 30 total, only 14 dogs remain in care. One of the dogs who successfully transferred out to the Frosted Faces Foundation is a brindle shepherd named Flora. She is about 10 years old, came in emaciated and missing her left front limb. At SDHS she received dental surgery and had a mass removed, to increase her chances of a brighter future.
All farm animals rescued from the property have been successfully placed at the Humane Farming Association’s Suwanna Rach in Elk Creek, CA. This includes two alpacas who needed to be sheered at SDHS’s Escondido Campus before the long transport north, and a sweet mini-pony named Peanut Butter.
SDHS remains committed to providing individualized care for every animal rescued from Villa Chardonnay until they have found successful placement. For background information about how the investigation started and previous developments, please visit sdhumane.org/JulianRescue.
Category: Animals, Donations, Homeless, Local News, Nonprofit
