300 goats neglected
Santa Cruz, CA (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jun 30, 1996
County: Santa Cruz
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Maryella Woodman
» Frances Simmons
» David Williams
Each day, Lynn and Jeff Killitz passed a herd of penned goats that faced the road as the couple headed up the coast north of Santa Cruz. The smell was bad and getting worse, but what concerned the Killitzes was how many animals appeared crowded into such a small area, and as Lynn put it, "they kept getting more and more per square foot." In mid-March, Jeff finally called San Mateo County's Peninsula Humane Society, which went out to investigate. According to their report, more than 300 goats were crowded into about an acre-sized swamp of mud, urine and feces. Some animals had been mudcaked so long that they had difficulty walking, and hair fell off with the mud in large chunks, leaving raw flesh. Most pens were without water, and what water there was had become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Untrimmed hooves curled up and around as much as five inches, nearly crippling the animals. Incorrectly removed horns, called scurs, had regrown, and in one case had doubled over, puncturing the skull. Most had upper respiratory infections, the result of overcrowding.
When animal-control officers returned to the home of Maryella Woodman, Frances Simmons and David Williams the following day, they seized more than 200 goats and eventually charged the three with 40 counts of animal cruelty and neglect. More than mere hobbyists, the trio was known nationally on the dairy show circuit, and had some goats that were worth thousands of dollars each for their bloodlines. References« CA State Animal Cruelty Map
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