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Beth Caffrey, director of community relations at the Central California SPCA said, "They found animals that were tied up, animals in cages, most without food and water they were all emaciated."
Most of the 61 animals seized are in quarantine while a veterinarian looks at them. Many of the 9 dogs, 3 cats, one pig and 48 birds were found without food or water.
Caffrey said, "It's heartbreaking, and it's actually unbelievable to see how severe the emaciation is with some of these animals."
Her investigators made a trip out to Squaw Valley after getting a call from the Monterey County SPCA. Officers there had gotten complaints about a woman who was selling animals out of her car and claiming to be a rescue organization. Some of those animals were sick and neglected.
Gary Tiscornia with the Monterey County SPCA said, "We're asking our colleagues around the state to give us information on this woman and has she been doing business in their communities and we trying to develop the whole picture on what she's been up to."
The woman they're talking about is Crystal Kisicki. She runs St. Francis All Creature Rescue and Sanctuary and claims it's a nonprofit organization.
We went to Squaw Valley, found Kisicki and asked her about all of the animals. 17 were seized from Monterey County, another 61 taken from Fresno County. She wouldn't talk to us. We watched as she locked her gate and drove away.
Investigators say she's got multiple addresses in Squaw Valley, one in the Bay Area, and there's property in Arizona.
Stacey McGrady, an investigator with the Monterey County SPCA said, "At this point it appears like it's a pretty sketchy organization. We definitely have some concerns we need to follow up on."
As for the animals here locally, the SPCA tells us it'll be a long time before they're ready for adoption.
Caffrey explained, "Their bodies shut down, so not only are they hungry and feel bad that way but their internal organs shut down and that can cause other health problems."
The two counties will likely be working together as their two cases have obvious similarities.
