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[June 27, 2025]
In a joint rescue operation late Thursday evening, the Houston SPCA Animal Cruelty Investigations team, alongside Harris County Constable Precinct 1, removed 34 farm animals from a property in Crosby, Texas, where they were living in shocking and inhumane conditions. The property, located near Highway 90 and Lord Road, was the site of one of the most disturbing cases of farm animal neglect encountered this year.
Among the rescued animals were 11 miniature horses, one horse, six sheep, three zebras, six goats, two rabbits, and five chickens. Investigators discovered the animals crammed into small pens filled with a toxic sludge of mud, feces, and urine, measuring up to three inches deep in places. Flies swarmed the enclosures, and many animals were coated in waste with no access to clean water, adequate nutrition, or room to move freely.
“Many of these animals are showing visible signs of malnutrition and neglect,” said Dr. Roberta Westbrook, Vice President of Veterinary Medicine at the Houston SPCA. “They were living in truly deplorable conditions.”
The Houston SPCA’s veterinary team worked through the night to provide each animal with urgent medical attention. Now safe at the Houston SPCA’s Equine and Farm Animal Rescue Center, the animals are receiving comprehensive medical evaluations and individualized treatment plans to begin their recovery.
A court hearing is scheduled for next week to determine legal custody of the animals, and the investigation into the neglect is ongoing. If you suspect animal cruelty or neglect, speak up. Reporting what you see can save lives. In the Houston area, call 713-869-7722 or file a report online at www.houstonspca.org.
