SAUGERTIES, N.Y — Two animal rescue organizations in upstate New York combined to rescue 40 sheep from a “backyard slaughter operation,” according to a news release.
Catskill Animal Sanctuary said that the animals were rescued after they were discovered wandering on a major road in Saugerties, WTEN-TV reported. Officials with the sanctuary said the sheep were limping and malnourished, according to the news release.
Catskill Animal Sanctuary was assisted by the Ulster County SPCA.
According to the sanctuary, 10 lambs have been born since the sheep were rescued, WTEN reported.
The sanctuary said a veterinarian had told the owner of the sheep that he had to put weight on the animals, get them dewormed and treat them for “debilitating and life-threatening hoof rot.”
A month later, investigators returned and discovered that half of the original group was missing, while the remainder were near death, according to WTEN.
Assistant District Attorney Felicia Raphael successfully negotiated the surrender of the animals, and the sheep were transported to Catskill Animal Sanctuary, where they received life-saving interventions that included blood transfusions, the television station reported.
“Once we learned of this horrific situation, we went into overdrive to bring them to safety,” Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, said in a statement. “We are beyond grateful to the SPCA for intervening on their behalf, and to Assistant District Attorney Raphael for handling their case.”
The Catskills Animal Sanctuary also collaborated with two partners that adopted nine of the sheep, WTEN reported. Farm Sanctuary welcomed seven sheep and Woodstock Sanctuary accepted two young males, according to the television station.