Deputies with the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office along with Animal Charity returned to a property in Ellsworth Township where a man was previously accused of cruelty towards goats living there.

According to a Facebook post from Animal Charity of Ohio, crews responded to the property on W. Akron-Canfield Road near South Bailey Road on Saturday, September 9.

According to a report from the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, upon arrival, goat was found dead on the scene with its head stuck in a fence, and another was found stuck in the fence still alive, but struggling to breathe.

Animal Charity Coordinator, Jane MacMurchy tells 21 News that three more goats were found neglected in deplorable conditions. Sheriff's Deputies say there was a pile of what appeared to be a goat's bones on a table in the front yard.

The three goats were taken to Animal Charity, but one later had to be euthanized according to MacMurchy. The other two are still in Animal Chairty's care pending a probable cause hearing. MacMurchy could not give a definitive date for the hearing at this time.

This is not the first time deputies and humane agents were called to this property related to these goats with court records showing incidents dating back to November of 2022.

The most notable of these incidents occurred back in May of 2023 when the owner of the goats, 67-year-old Robert Stare was charged with animal cruelty when deputies say multiple goats were stuck in an electric fence with witnesses saying the goats were left unattended and screaming for help for hours.

Deputies say at one point Stare allegedly threw one of the goats over the fence with the goat falling onto a section of a chain link fence on the ground and later Stare allegedly hit a baby goat with a PVC pipe, which temporarily knocked it out.

According to the Sheriff's Office's report, neighbors say they need to free at least one goat from the fence two to three times per month and have witnessed at least nine to 10 goats die there within one year. This neighbor went on to tell deputies there is always a "smell of death" coming from the property.

Detective Pat Mondora with the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office tells 21 News that deputies are working with Animal Charity on possibly filing additional charges.

MacMurchy tells us should additional charges be filed, they would be combined with the animal cruelty charges Stare is currently facing.

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