A run-down estate in a ritzy Connecticut town devolved into a “horror house” littered with the decomposing corpses of dozens of goats.
The grisly discovery was made March 10 by state Department of Agriculture agents responding to complaints about animal abuse and conditions, during a surprise raid on the property of 71-year-old Nancy Burton in Redding, 65 miles north of Manhattan. Burton is the widow of former New York Times culture and arts editor William Holmes Honan..
A four day surveillance was conducted and the operation revealed a number of animal health and property management concerns. It was observed that:
• there was inadequate manure management and manure accumulated in and around the paddocks which resulted in animals having to take shelter in manure filled enclosures.
• the animals do not have adequate access to fresh water. The water provided was wholly inadequate for the size of the goat herd. At a minimum, each goat should have access to one half gallon of clean water daily, which would require 32.5 gallons of water for a herd of this size each day. The entire herd was consistently being given far less than 20 gallons of fresh water daily.
• the shelter provided in the paddocks did not provide enough space to shelter all of the animals and did not provide an adequate wind break for high winds and cold weather.
Forty to Fifty dead goats were found around the property in various stages of decomposition.
•In the northeast and northwest corners of the property, a number of dead goats were found in plastic bags, inside trash containers and in totes.
• More dead goats were located in the northeast corner of the property in a shallow pit that was covered by plywood.
• In the center of the property, frozen and partially decomposed goats were located in large totes under a tarp.
• Additional dead goats were located in the center of the property that were in plastic bags on the soil surface or partially buried in a shallow pit in or near a garden.
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Upscale neighbors had long complained about the stench and mess..
Upscale neighbors had long complained about the stench and mess..
The state seized 65 live goats during the raid, a number of which were underweight, according to the petition. Many had extremely long hooves that were not being maintained and were affecting the mobility of the animals. Others had missing fur or were matted and caked with mud and manure. The petition also cited “inadequate manure management” and a lack of fresh water for the animals.
A hearing was set for April 6 on the state’s petition to keep the animals. Burton, an environmental activist widowed since 2014, claims they were illegally seized.
Burton told the Post that she had buried the dead goats.
“The goat burials were vandalized and desecrated and left exposed. I did everything proper regarding burials,” she said. “I am awaiting the spring thaw to be able to restore the burial sites fully with the help of friends and neighbors.”
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