SHINGLE SPRINGS, Calif. — A couple who had hundreds of animals removed from their Shingle Springs home back in May, have been charged with animal cruelty, according to court documents.
Alma and Charel Winston are facing multiple felony charges which include exposing animals to needless suffering and failing to provide animals with proper food, drink, shelter or protection from the weather, court documents said.
Nearly 300 animals, including dogs, birds, horses, alpacas, and other livestock, were removed from the Winston's property, located on Lonesome Dove Drive, on May 2 .
The court document said the "omission of proper care of dogs" led to them being euthanized. Pigeons, ducks, chickens and roosters were also infected with avian influenza, or bird flu, according to the document.
Alma was also charged with inflicting injury on an elderly adult.
ABC10 spoke with Alma in May and she confirmed that the animals were taken in by her and her wife as part of an unlicensed, private rescue.
"Alma Winston, who did, under circumstances and conditions likely to produce great bodily harm and death, willfully and unlawfully inflict on Olga Nogues... unjustifiable physical pain and mental suffering," court documents said.
A third person- Dean Bader- was also charged for animal cruelty and for not reporting animal abuse or cruelty, court documents said.
"Whenever any licensee... has reasonable cause to believe an animal under its care has been a victim of animal abuse or cruelty... it shall be the duty of the licensee to promptly report it to the appropriate law enforcement authorities...," the document said on charges related to Bader.
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WATCH ALSO: Neighbor shocked by number of animals removed from Shingle Springs Home | Extended Interview
Hundreds of animals were removed from a Shingle Springs home in El Dorado County the week of April 29. Neighbor Kimberly Simpson spoke with ABC10 on Friday, saying that she and other neighbors have been working years for this to happen. Simpson said she was aware that there were many animals on the property, but she was shocked when she learned just how many.