Authorities found dead animals scattered all over a couple’s property in Beaverhead County in southwestern Montana this week, including dead goats sticking out of 3 feet of feces in a trailer and a decaying dog with a collar still around its neck in the back of a car.
Robert Riley
There were many living goats, horses, pigs and other animals, too, but they were in unfit living condition and fed only trash thrown onto the ground, according to Beaverhead County sheriff’s deputies.
The owners of the property off of Chreston Lane, Robert Riley and Constance Riley, both 71, were detained Tuesday and made initial court appearances in Beaverhead County Justice Court on Thursday on charges of aggravated animal cruelty and littering.
Constance Riley
They were released on their own recognizance but they cannot have any animals on their property. Aggravated animal cruelty is a felony so the case will ultimately be transferred to state District Court, where they will be arraigned.
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Beaverhead County Sheriff David Wendt said Wednesday it was one of the largest and most heinous cases of animal cruelty the office has investigated. His officers were able to seize 47 animals that were still living.
According a probable cause affidavit, deputies and state troopers told the Rileys they had a search warrant for the property and they were detained while it was carried out.
“We found unfit living conditions for all animals,” the affidavit says. “The goats, horses, pigs and an alpaca were living in an open pen near the top of the property and were fed only trash which was thrown on the ground.”
There was bread still in wrappers thrown about, it says, and the animals appeared to be consuming the plastic wrappers along with bread and other human foods thrown into the pen. One goat was dead.
There was a trailer home next to the pen.
“Inside the trailer there was approximately 3 feet deep in animal feces and there were parts of dead goats sticking out of the top with the rest of a dead goat appearing to be buried by the feces,” the affidavit says.
There were two troughs with dark green water and another filled only with trash. Living pigs appeared to be covered in skin sores and one of the pigs struggled to walk “with both back legs partially disabled,” the affidavit says.
The horses appeared to have no dietary regulation and the goats were skittish and “clearly not accustomed to human interaction,” it says.
Open areas of the property were scattered with dead animals, authorities said. Many appeared to be goats but “were decayed beyond recognition.”
There was another trailer home on the property and when deputies opened the door, a dead goat was in the entryway. There were numerous cats inside but they were feral and could not be captured.
“A car on top of the property had a heavily decayed dead dog in the back seat covered partially by a blanket, its collar still around its neck,” the affidavit said.
The living animals seized included horses, goats, alpacas, pigs, chickens, geese, dogs, turkeys and cats.
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50 years of the ESA: Explore this series, in photos
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Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with an emphasis on government and politics.
