"Total disarray": Man arrested after hundreds of dead animals found in Laton

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A antheral has been arrested aft hundreds of dormant and unrecorded animals were discovered successful deplorable conditions successful Laton.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office arrested 41-year-old Carl Mendes Friday astatine a location connected Mt. Whitney Avenue and Chestnut Street.

Deputies accidental idiosyncratic passing done the country noticed the spot and called the Sheriff's Office. When Action News crews arrived connected the scene, you could odor the stench from the property.

When deputies arrived, they recovered the spot with adjacent to 300 animals surviving successful "total disarray" and hundreds of different dormant animals. The animals see pigs, goats, sheep, chickens and more.

Mendes was arrested connected kid neglect charges due to the fact that helium has 4 teenagers surviving astatine the location with him. Deputies accidental helium volition apt look carnal neglect charges arsenic well. The 4 teenagers volition beryllium placed into the attraction of Child Protective Services.

Fresno Humane has been moving with deputies to rescue the animals successful the astir need. Investigators accidental it volition instrumentality respective days to rescue the remainder connected the property.

The Central California SPCA is taking implicit the investigation. Several goats seized from the location are being taken attraction of astatine the SPCA

"We inactive person further things that are being looked at," said Jesse Boyce, a Field Operations Manager astatine the SPCA. "There's different animals that request to beryllium examined inactive and we request to talk with radical that were progressive successful this situation."

Boyce said they're readying to bring a vet retired to the spot to cheque connected the remaining animals.

"We're trying to get 1 that has a escaped docket this upcoming week," said Boyce.

Action News reached retired to Carl Mendes but helium declined an on-camera interrogation with us.

But helium said that animals surviving determination were not neglected and that helium helps facilitate caller homes for animals.

Peggy Vaughn works arsenic a bookkeeper astatine Church of the Brethren, which is close adjacent to Mendes' property. Vaughn said she could odor the stench coming from adjacent door.

"The past mates of weeks successful the parking lot, connected the broadside adjacent to the house, you could smell," said Vaughn. "It smelled similar an unfastened sewer."

Vaughn has driven past the location respective times. She says she noticed a cluttered and messy beforehand yard, on with galore of the animals astir the area.

"There was a pig that we recovered that was suffering, truthful we did person to enactment that pig down utilizing a firearm," Fresno County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Tony Botti said. "This is conscionable a disgusting case. It's filthy and deplorable; cipher should beryllium surviving successful these conditions. Humans oregon animals."

Investigators accidental Mendes told deputies helium goes to auctions and buys animals to nourish them backmost to health.

For quality updates, travel Ana Torrea connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.