Dunnellon woman arrested after 92 neglected animals found at breeding business

DUNNELLON, Fla. - A Dunnellon woman faces felony animal cruelty charges after a multi-day sheriff's office investigation uncovered dozens of severely neglected animals at her Citrus County breeding business.

Citrus County animal neglect

What we know:

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office arrested 38-year-old Christina Mary Pitts on Tuesday. Authorities tied her to severe neglect involving about 92 animals at her business, Moonstone Field, where she bred horses, dairy goats and Florida Native sheep.

Investigators said Pitts was solely responsible for the care and decision-making for all animals on the 5-acre property, according to the sheriff's office.

Deputies and Animal Control Officers responded to the property on Tuesday after a caller reported a horse in severe distress.

When they arrived, the horse was suffering so severely that a veterinarian approved humane euthanasia on the scene. Detectives also learned that another horse had died weeks earlier and had been buried in a shallow grave in one of the pastures.

Multi-day animal rescue

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed if Pitts will face additional charges as forensic examinations of the remaining animals are completed.

The full medical conditions of the surviving animals, which included horses, goats, sheep, dogs, exotic birds, chickens, cats and a turtle, remain under investigation.

Preventing animal suffering

What they're saying:

"This was one of the most heartbreaking scenes our team has encountered," Sheriff David Vincent said. "The level of suffering these animals endured was completely preventable, but I'm proud of how our deputies, Citrus County Animal Services, and Countryside Animal Clinic worked together to make sure every surviving animal received the care they needed."

A concerned woman called authorities after she saw what she thought was a dead horse on the edge of Pitts' property. 

She asked not to be named due to concerns for her safety.

"The horse that I thought had died was actually barely alive," the tipster said. "And when they came on scene and saw her condition, they went ahead and euthanized her right there at the spot."

The witness said the conditions at the property were something she had never seen before.

"It was a beautiful breeding farm, and it was this… now [it] is so dilapidated, there were just, there was a beer can pile," she said.

"There was abuse. The animals once I was there and I saw the animals' feet were not done, horses' feet were not done," she said. "So, they were in very bad repair or care. There were several lame horses."

"The arrested person, her parents live there. They're in their 60s," she said. " She's in her 30s, or her and her husband, and there's two teenage kids there. How did anybody think that this was okay?"

"Sanctuaries will help, rescues will help if you get yourself in over your head," she said. "But if you don't reach out, and you end up like this lady, then you're going to jail. It was extremely, extremely disturbing." 

Dozens of animals seized

By the numbers:

• 92: The approximate number of animals observed on the 5-acre property.
• 13: The number of horses identified by Animal Control as suffering from conditions severe enough to support felony charges.
• 38: The age of the arrested business owner, Christina Mary Pitts.

Forensic exams continue

What's next:

Pitts was taken to the Citrus County Detention Facility for booking on Tuesday.

Due to the large number of animals and the level of care required, the investigation continued through Thursday with assistance from Citrus County Animal Services and Countryside Animal Clinic.