Sheriff investigates report of animal neglect at Heritage Ranch
One of 10 videos showing alleged animal neglect causes outrage among local residents.
Update 7:01 a.m., March 4, 2014: The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office received a report on Feb. 28 of possible animal neglect regarding a flock of sheep in the Heritage Ranch area. Deputies responded and began an investigation into the deaths of 25 sheep in the River View Estates area of Heritage Ranch.
During the course of the investigation, deputies spoke with the owner of the sheep, a 53-year veteran of raising sheep. He tends to a flock of 8,500 sheep. Of those, 700 sheep were grazing on about 3,000 acres of land in Heritage Ranch as part of a fire suppression program. Local residents identified the shepherd as JB Jaureguy.
The shepherd told deputies he always shears his sheep in February. Several days later, a major rainstorm hit the county, and as a result, several of the sheep became ill and 25 died. Hikers discovered the distressed sheep and contacted law enforcement.
The Sheriff’s Office and the owner recognize that any loss of an animal is a tragic one. The Sheriff’s Office is conducting a thorough investigation with the full cooperation of the owner. The findings of the investigation will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office for consideration of any possible criminal neglect charges.
Robert Rutherford, a retired senior sheep specialist at Cal Poly, watched the video and and said the sheep appeared to be in poor condition. “Probably the combination of being too thin and then the storm that came through probably caused the stress that ended up putting the sheep down,” Rutherford told KSBY.
A caseworker with PETA’s cruelty investigations department, Stephanie Bell, said PETA will be pressing for criminal charges if the details remain the same as they are now, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports. “We certainly get a number of calls about animals in the cold or wet or without food, but typically, even on large farms, we are only dealing with a small number of animals,” she said. “To have this number of animals dying is very egregious,” she said.
Original story 7:39 a.m., March 3, 2014: A local woman posted 10 videos over the weekend of alleged cruelty to a flock of sheep at Heritage Ranch. She recorded dozens of animals in weak and emaciated condition, dead sheep loaded in a trailer and pick up truck, and others dead or dying in creek beds. Some of the videos are very graphic.
“So my husband found these sheep taking a hike with our dog and called me to come assist him,” wrote Jennifer Weissmuller. “He had only at that time found the ones in the creek. Little did he know that the entire hillside was covered with distressed, dead and dying animals. You could see every rib and the stomachs were concave and you could see the spine. There eyes were rolling in their heads, guts hanging out and several were foaming at the mouth. Our concern was to get help for the animals.
“The shepherd was in his camper and was not doing anything to help the distressed animals. In my opinion he was leaving them their to die,” she wrote. “I am ready to sell my house and leave Heritage Ranch this sickens me,” she wrote.
Sheep are traditionally brought in seasonally to clear grass to help prevent summer forest fires at the ranch. The shepherd’s vehicle and trailer could be seen Sunday near the River View section of Heritage Ranch, outside of Paso Robles. The region has suffered an historic drought leaving little food or water for animals.
Weissmuller said she has reported the alleged cruelty to the Heritage Ranch Homeowners Association, The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, State Fish and Game and PETA.
Local authorities could not be reached for comment Monday morning. Updates will be posted here as more information is available.
What’s the name of the shepherd?
Jaureguy
We have pampered sheep and this is disgusting at every level. This man is a monster.
This is an ABSOLUTE disgrace and SO very sad. Just no reason for this!!!!
you guys have no idea what you were talking about my dad is not as cruell person this woman is making it out to be. if you have any questions you need to refer to the sheriff's office they have investigated it and the sheriff's said that there is nothing that they can do it is ranching and due to the drought and the severe weather and no feed my dad has done everything that he can to try to keep his animals alive.
What is the last name of family?
Lets get all the facts before we judge.
If you condone this you are just as guilty as he is. If the drought was so bad you should of called the sheriffs department to take them. This is animal cruelty at its worst level and you and your father should never be allowed to own animals again. May you rot in your own hell for this!
“Cruelty to animals was added as part of the criteria for conduct disorder to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association) in 1987. Animal abuse is not just the result of a minor personality flaw in the abuser; it is a symptom of a deep mental disturbance. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty toward animals rarely stop there; many of them move on to their fellow humans.”
I hope these people are arrested and punished in jail. I would prefer for them to be starved to death as they have done to these animals.
Has water and hay been brought in to keep the animals alive??
You can buy feed at the feed store. this is cruel!!
You can buy feed at the feed store. this is cruel!!
Ms. Yvette, dont even go there, My father in law who has cattle has done the correct thing when it came to his cattle and this drought situation , anyone with a brain knows they have the right to take there stock to a feed lot prior to them starving!!!!!!!!!! your as ignorant as your father in my eyes.
Do not own animals if you cannot afford to care for them!! Sad and disgusting!
Sell your animals! Don't kill them!!
Ranchers have sold their livestock if they knew they wouldn’t be able to care for them. It sucks but when they start dieing and look THAT bad you need to do what’s best for the animals welfare! This rancher is and should be liable!
Mr. Jaureguy has gone above and beyond helping me with my herd over the last two years. With the drought and severe weather, all ranchers are doing all they can to keep their herds viable. The rain has been a blessing to many but has also caught many sheep herders off guard due to shearing. Sending love to the Jaureguys who just lost a large portion of their herd.
Well said. You were my first thought when I saw this. I'm sure there is a lot to this story. We are only being shown one side.
Lock him up and his helpers. If you can't afford feed them ask for help or give them away to someone who can!
Why not place an add of your situation on craigslist or facebook. if there's a will there's a way… sure there would have been someone to help out even if you had to give them all away would be better than this cruelty.
I saw a video of this yesterday from people who found this..absolutely horrible! Lock him up!
OMG OMG I cant believe what i am seeing "TEARS" fly some food in something :((((((
The sheep were just sheared so yes they look much thinner- also I did see the Shepard coming back from town with several bales of alfalfa in his truck…
I saw him shear thousands of those sheep last summer on Heritage Ranch. They do NOT look like that afterwards. He has/had 5000 sheep, a few bales of alfalfa is hardly feeding them. Can you seriously look at these videos and conclude that they were NOT starving?
I dont understand some of the comment thread below. How are there two sides to malnutrition and starvation. So….its the sheeps fault for getting hungry? If a rancher cannot afford to tend his flock he doesnt just allow them all to suffer and die!!! What could possibly be the flip side of this tragic story? Heartbreaking….
this is absolutley disgusting!! who the hell does this. why not just put them outta their misery instead of letting them starve. take them to templeton sales yard or something. you dont just let animals starve. you people are ignorant!!!!
This is Sooooo very disturbing………….I pray they can help the sheep that are still alive! This could have been prevented somehow!!!!!!!!!!
I am a animal lover and this is wrong! It makes me ill to see such a thing. 🙁
Sell to who? It's not just sheep it's all farm animals. Hay and alfalfa is upwards of $18 a bale. You people haven't the slightest idea about ranching or the costs associated with t when there is a drought year. all you know is that when you go to the grocery store there will be meat. It had to come from somewhere. Trust me ranchers go broke trying to provide for their stock. Don't go casting stones until you've been there and done it
YOU PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT! HOW COULD YOU SIT THERE AND LET THE ANIMALS STARVE!
Omg… If he couldn't afford to feed them due to the drought Take them to a auction and sell them!!
I am in tears…how can he be sooo cruel. He looks well nourished. They are not JUST F**ING ANIMALS. You should pay for this you disgusting piece of shit! ABUSE, ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE. IT IS DISGUSTING.
THEIR CONDITION IS BEYOND JUST NOW BRINGING A COUPLE OF ALFALFA BALES. THEY SHOULD HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN TO THIS POINT!
Omg I just watched the videos! Sick! As if there is an excuse… Drought, bad weather, and no feed??? Give your animals away then! Get help! I hope the owner goes to jail for a long time!!! What a MFing douchebag!!!!
I too have driven by there this last week as was shocked at condition of these sheep after seeing them sheared. There is NO food on those hills for these sheep… so why isn't he bringing food in for them….like the cows ranchers do? To make it worse he obviously didn't care who saw their condition since they are right out on the main road. Thank you to the couple who has brought this to everyone's attention. Shame on Heritage Ranch for turning there backs.
This is the video I saw first. .so horrible
Shame on this man! He needs to be put away!
Those poor animals…left there to slowly starve and die.
While it's true that the sheep have been brought to Heritage Ranch in the past to graze the hills for fire prevention purposes, why would you bring them back knowing that, in light of the current drought situation statewide, that there is nothing for them to graze. It's bad enough that the wildlife is having a problem finding food, but to expose domesticated animals to this kind of cruelty is unconscionable! The fact that they were recently sheared has nothing to do with this obvious cruelty! Shame on the management of Heritage Ranch for turning a blind eye and allowing this to happen! They have treated the dogs that guard the sheep in much the same way. I've personally seen them extremely thin and under nourished as well! There is no excuse!
The sheep eat grass and drink from the lake. When there is no grass to eat or water in the lake… animals starve. Food grows where water flows, but when all the water is taken from one location: the communities that require that water no longer have it…. these sheep are just the most atrocious ones we've seen. A couple of my old hunting buddies on the back side of the lake are saying that wild animals are dying off in the same manner.
This is unconscionable cruelty. It makes my heart heavy to see yet another case of animals being treated so inhumanely.
Thank you to Ms. Weissmuller and her husband for documenting this situation and reporting it. Much gratitude to them for doing what it takes to get these animals some help. And hopefully justice for the ones who had to die in these conditions.
If you know there is a drought why leave your flock to suffer. Your father apparently did no do enough. From what the video shows those animals are weak, starving and very sick. That is cruelty sweetheart. No matter how good your dad has kept his flock in the past. That is just wrong
yes thank you to the man and woman who are going to help make this story known on how sick people really are!
While it’s true that the management of Heritage Ranch has brought these sheep in the past to graze down the hills for fire prevention purposes, why would they grant permission knowing we are in the worst drought in state history??? It’s bad enough that the wildlife there are suffering from the lack of vegetation, but to bring in domesticated animals to suffer like this is absolutely unconscionable! While it’s true that the sheep have obviously been sheared recently, it just makes the evidence of their starvation that much more obvious! Shame on this Shepard, the owner of the sheep AND the management of Heritage Ranch for allowing this to happen on their property! What an embarrassment!
^EXACTLY
^EXACTLY
Um there is no justifying this. this is horrible and disgusting. To stick living animals with the dead. This is neglect. Shame on the people trying to defend this treatment. This is america not a third world country. NO animal should be living like this.
I just saw the story and read all of the responses I could handle… The fact that the people responsible for this horror don't see any problem with this situation , their callous disregard for the welfare of the animals they own, their blatant arrogance, and that they are probably going to get away with it… Is disturbing on so many levels…"Shepherds"?…ughh
it's called the weather channel. This isn't the 1800's.
I agree, that is what I hope for however the imagery is graphic and heart breaking. I would think they could at least put them out of their misery before they die in such a horrific fashion. Perhaps there is something we don't know? There could be disease & he's trying to segregate them? I hope we get to the bottom of it at the very least.
This is sick and wrong in so many ways!! That man is no follower of the lord thats for sure!!
Damn people, that is so wrong.
Exactly.
Two sides? Of starving animals? Pictures tell the story. Cruelty.
Why were diseased animals kept out in pasture with no food or water? If they were sick….shouldn't they be in a barn or pasture with feed? Were they treated or medicated? I am hoping that we get more facts.
What’s the name of the shepherd?
Jaureguy
We have pampered sheep and this is disgusting at every level. This man is a monster.
This is an ABSOLUTE disgrace and SO very sad. Just no reason for this!!!!
you guys have no idea what you were talking about my dad is not as cruell person this woman is making it out to be. if you have any questions you need to refer to the sheriff's office they have investigated it and the sheriff's said that there is nothing that they can do it is ranching and due to the drought and the severe weather and no feed my dad has done everything that he can to try to keep his animals alive.
What is the last name of family?
Lets get all the facts before we judge.
If you condone this you are just as guilty as he is. If the drought was so bad you should of called the sheriffs department to take them. This is animal cruelty at its worst level and you and your father should never be allowed to own animals again. May you rot in your own hell for this!
“Cruelty to animals was added as part of the criteria for conduct disorder to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association) in 1987. Animal abuse is not just the result of a minor personality flaw in the abuser; it is a symptom of a deep mental disturbance. Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty toward animals rarely stop there; many of them move on to their fellow humans.”
I hope these people are arrested and punished in jail. I would prefer for them to be starved to death as they have done to these animals.
Has water and hay been brought in to keep the animals alive??
You can buy feed at the feed store. this is cruel!!
You can buy feed at the feed store. this is cruel!!
Ms. Yvette, dont even go there, My father in law who has cattle has done the correct thing when it came to his cattle and this drought situation , anyone with a brain knows they have the right to take there stock to a feed lot prior to them starving!!!!!!!!!! your as ignorant as your father in my eyes.
Do not own animals if you cannot afford to care for them!! Sad and disgusting!
Sell your animals! Don't kill them!!
Ranchers have sold their livestock if they knew they wouldn’t be able to care for them. It sucks but when they start dieing and look THAT bad you need to do what’s best for the animals welfare! This rancher is and should be liable!
Mr. Jaureguy has gone above and beyond helping me with my herd over the last two years. With the drought and severe weather, all ranchers are doing all they can to keep their herds viable. The rain has been a blessing to many but has also caught many sheep herders off guard due to shearing. Sending love to the Jaureguys who just lost a large portion of their herd.
Well said. You were my first thought when I saw this. I'm sure there is a lot to this story. We are only being shown one side.
Lock him up and his helpers. If you can't afford feed them ask for help or give them away to someone who can!
Why not place an add of your situation on craigslist or facebook. if there's a will there's a way… sure there would have been someone to help out even if you had to give them all away would be better than this cruelty.
I saw a video of this yesterday from people who found this..absolutely horrible! Lock him up!
OMG OMG I cant believe what i am seeing "TEARS" fly some food in something :((((((
The sheep were just sheared so yes they look much thinner- also I did see the Shepard coming back from town with several bales of alfalfa in his truck…
I saw him shear thousands of those sheep last summer on Heritage Ranch. They do NOT look like that afterwards. He has/had 5000 sheep, a few bales of alfalfa is hardly feeding them. Can you seriously look at these videos and conclude that they were NOT starving?
I dont understand some of the comment thread below. How are there two sides to malnutrition and starvation. So….its the sheeps fault for getting hungry? If a rancher cannot afford to tend his flock he doesnt just allow them all to suffer and die!!! What could possibly be the flip side of this tragic story? Heartbreaking….
this is absolutley disgusting!! who the hell does this. why not just put them outta their misery instead of letting them starve. take them to templeton sales yard or something. you dont just let animals starve. you people are ignorant!!!!
This is Sooooo very disturbing………….I pray they can help the sheep that are still alive! This could have been prevented somehow!!!!!!!!!!
I am a animal lover and this is wrong! It makes me ill to see such a thing. 🙁
Sell to who? It's not just sheep it's all farm animals. Hay and alfalfa is upwards of $18 a bale. You people haven't the slightest idea about ranching or the costs associated with t when there is a drought year. all you know is that when you go to the grocery store there will be meat. It had to come from somewhere. Trust me ranchers go broke trying to provide for their stock. Don't go casting stones until you've been there and done it
YOU PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT! HOW COULD YOU SIT THERE AND LET THE ANIMALS STARVE!
Omg… If he couldn't afford to feed them due to the drought Take them to a auction and sell them!!
I am in tears…how can he be sooo cruel. He looks well nourished. They are not JUST F**ING ANIMALS. You should pay for this you disgusting piece of shit! ABUSE, ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE. IT IS DISGUSTING.
THEIR CONDITION IS BEYOND JUST NOW BRINGING A COUPLE OF ALFALFA BALES. THEY SHOULD HAVE NOT EVEN GOTTEN TO THIS POINT!
Omg I just watched the videos! Sick! As if there is an excuse… Drought, bad weather, and no feed??? Give your animals away then! Get help! I hope the owner goes to jail for a long time!!! What a MFing douchebag!!!!
I too have driven by there this last week as was shocked at condition of these sheep after seeing them sheared. There is NO food on those hills for these sheep… so why isn't he bringing food in for them….like the cows ranchers do? To make it worse he obviously didn't care who saw their condition since they are right out on the main road. Thank you to the couple who has brought this to everyone's attention. Shame on Heritage Ranch for turning there backs.
This is the video I saw first. .so horrible
Shame on this man! He needs to be put away!
Those poor animals…left there to slowly starve and die.
While it's true that the sheep have been brought to Heritage Ranch in the past to graze the hills for fire prevention purposes, why would you bring them back knowing that, in light of the current drought situation statewide, that there is nothing for them to graze. It's bad enough that the wildlife is having a problem finding food, but to expose domesticated animals to this kind of cruelty is unconscionable! The fact that they were recently sheared has nothing to do with this obvious cruelty! Shame on the management of Heritage Ranch for turning a blind eye and allowing this to happen! They have treated the dogs that guard the sheep in much the same way. I've personally seen them extremely thin and under nourished as well! There is no excuse!
The sheep eat grass and drink from the lake. When there is no grass to eat or water in the lake… animals starve. Food grows where water flows, but when all the water is taken from one location: the communities that require that water no longer have it…. these sheep are just the most atrocious ones we've seen. A couple of my old hunting buddies on the back side of the lake are saying that wild animals are dying off in the same manner.
This is unconscionable cruelty. It makes my heart heavy to see yet another case of animals being treated so inhumanely.
Thank you to Ms. Weissmuller and her husband for documenting this situation and reporting it. Much gratitude to them for doing what it takes to get these animals some help. And hopefully justice for the ones who had to die in these conditions.
If you know there is a drought why leave your flock to suffer. Your father apparently did no do enough. From what the video shows those animals are weak, starving and very sick. That is cruelty sweetheart. No matter how good your dad has kept his flock in the past. That is just wrong
yes thank you to the man and woman who are going to help make this story known on how sick people really are!
While it’s true that the management of Heritage Ranch has brought these sheep in the past to graze down the hills for fire prevention purposes, why would they grant permission knowing we are in the worst drought in state history??? It’s bad enough that the wildlife there are suffering from the lack of vegetation, but to bring in domesticated animals to suffer like this is absolutely unconscionable! While it’s true that the sheep have obviously been sheared recently, it just makes the evidence of their starvation that much more obvious! Shame on this Shepard, the owner of the sheep AND the management of Heritage Ranch for allowing this to happen on their property! What an embarrassment!
^EXACTLY
^EXACTLY
Um there is no justifying this. this is horrible and disgusting. To stick living animals with the dead. This is neglect. Shame on the people trying to defend this treatment. This is america not a third world country. NO animal should be living like this.
I just saw the story and read all of the responses I could handle… The fact that the people responsible for this horror don't see any problem with this situation , their callous disregard for the welfare of the animals they own, their blatant arrogance, and that they are probably going to get away with it… Is disturbing on so many levels…"Shepherds"?…ughh
it's called the weather channel. This isn't the 1800's.
I agree, that is what I hope for however the imagery is graphic and heart breaking. I would think they could at least put them out of their misery before they die in such a horrific fashion. Perhaps there is something we don't know? There could be disease & he's trying to segregate them? I hope we get to the bottom of it at the very least.
This is sick and wrong in so many ways!! That man is no follower of the lord thats for sure!!
Damn people, that is so wrong.
Exactly.
Two sides? Of starving animals? Pictures tell the story. Cruelty.
Why were diseased animals kept out in pasture with no food or water? If they were sick….shouldn't they be in a barn or pasture with feed? Were they treated or medicated? I am hoping that we get more facts.