WATERTOWN, N.Y. -- It was just Thursday when state police executed a search warrant at a Town of Watertown property.
State Police tell TWC News that numerous complaints led to a two-month investigation. That warrant allowed all 140 animals on site to be checked. We're told police found some underfed, some without water access, some improperly groomed, some in poor health and even one animal dead.
"Certainly, we could see from the roadway that there was a number of animals here, but it's not until you actually go on the property, and that's what the search warrant does," said Jack Keller of the NYSP. "It enables us to go on the property with the proper veterinarians so they can assess right on scene."
Police removed 54 of those animals -- everything from horses to goats to bulls, rabbits and more. Property owners Leroy Burnham and Joanne Armstrong were each charged with 68 counts of animal neglect.
Police were back on the scene Tuesday with a second search warrant, and those owners, who were released by a judge, could be facing more charges.
"The judge issued a stay-in-place order, and part of that is that all the animals were supposed to stay on the property and they also needed to be maintained properly," NYS Police Trooper Natalie Bochino said.
Police say various veterinarians have been at the property every day since last week. They say the health of some animals has gotten worse, and they do not believe the owners were fully following that order.
"The veterinary team that was coming out here to check every day on the animals since Thursday has determined that they're still not being properly cared for," Trooper Bochino said.
The other 90 animals that remained on the property, mostly horses, will now all be taken away. Some will be cared for by farmers that came to help take them off the property, and others will be taken in by animal rescues.
State police say they are trying to keep as many of the animals together as they can, but with this many, it's very hard.