Fifteen dogs removed, female arrested at local ranch

Police officers are on scene of a Menifee ranch where squatters were accused of animal cruelty. (Photos courtesy of Facebook user)

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Animal control officers arrested a woman Friday and removed 15 mistreated dogs from a local ranch where a couple had lived for 11 weeks as squatters.

Officers showed up at the Wooden Nickel Ranch on Holland Road in west Menifee to follow up on a Pre Seizure order, which had given the individuals two weeks to get the animals veterinary care. When confronted, a woman on site went inside and locked the door, said Chief Animal Control Officer Mo Middleton.

Animal Control officers returned with a search warrant and Menifee Police officers as backup, Middleton said. The woman, identified as Hanna Castera, came outside and was arrested. She was booked on 18 felony counts of animal cruelty, according to Middleton.

That total includes three horses that were removed from the property the night before, said Tom Fuhrman, a former Menifee City Council member and the owner of the property. According to Fuhrman, he had agreed to let the couple stay rent-free for three weeks on the property but is now in eviction proceedings with them nearly three months later.

Philipp Durand, who promotes himself on a website as a world renowned dog rescuer and videographer, was not on the property when police arrived and there is a warrant for his arrest, Middleton said. According to Fuhrman, Durand removed the horses at about 10:30 p.m. the night before.

Fuhrman said he placed a livestock lien on the horses after Durand refused to leave the property or pay rent. Fuhrman, who is not always on the property, said he was not aware of the number or condition of the dogs, which were kept inside a 12 by 20-foot shed that serves as part of an Old West themed area on the back of the property.

Middleton said Durand and Castera were living inside the wooden structure with the dogs, which were found laying in feces and in emaciated condition.

“For three months we had tried to get those animals help,” said Middleton, who added that officers had originally been called to the ranch following complaints from individuals who had seen the dogs. A Facebook post on July 12 warned residents not to use what was being billed as a dog rescue.

“Do not support, donate or give this so-called rescue any animals,” the post read. “The condition of these animals at this rescue are horrendous. We were informed by a few people that have entered the property … Very emaciated dogs that could not stand up. None of them having adequate food, water or shelter.”

The dogs were of various breeds and included nine feral puppies, Middleton said.