More than 50 different animals were taken away in “heartbreaking conditions” northeast of Phoenix, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
The animals were found on a Rio Verde property with no food or water, the Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post. Rio Verde is about 40 minutes east of Scottsdale, north of Fort McDowell.
The odd bunch of animals seized consisted of horses, camels, goats, rams, sheep and tortoises. There were also more exotic ones like a cockatoo, bull and zebra, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Images shared by the Sheriff’s Office showed horses with their ribs showing and a ram with matted hair.
The Rural Metro Fire Department quickly arrived at the scene and delivered over 2,000 gallons of water for the dehydrated animals. High temperatures reached about 110 degrees the day the animals were rescued, according to the National Weather Service.
The Sheriff’s Office unit for mistreated animals, the Maricopa Animal Safe Haven (MASH), helped rescue the animals and provide shelter.
Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan was on site when the animals were rescued, posing for a picture with a camel.
“Sheriff Sheridan, who assisted in the rescue, remains committed to fighting for those who can’t speak for themselves,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “Today is another powerful reminder: neglect will not be ignored. Every life matters.”
The animals were taken to the MASH unit or a veterinarian, said William Jinks, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was ongoing, Jinks said Aug. 3.
The animals’ recovery will be shared with the public, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Rey Covarrubias Jr. reports breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@gannett.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Animals rescued from heartbreaking conditions northeast of Scottsdale