Authorities have identified the residents of a Texas home where about 430 animals were seized Monday in an animal cruelty investigation.
The Caldwell County Sheriff's Office on Thursday said Joseph Flores and Sarah Arevalo lived at the home in the 100 block of Misty Drive in Uhland.
Authorities did not say what charges they face, but Sheriff Daniel Law said charges are likely.
The two are employed at the University of Texas and investigators have been in contact with university police.
UT spokesman J.B. Bird told the American-Statesman that Flores and Arevalo work at the Animal Resources Center. They have been placed on administrative leave with pay pending investigation, he said.
"President (Gregory L.) Fenves is going to call for an outside review of the Animal Resources Center to ensure all safety and care guidelines have been followed," Bird said.
Bird said there is no indication that any of the university's animals, which are used for research, are missing.
Snakes, dogs, rabbits, goats, rodents and birds were among the cache of critters removed from the home. Caldwell County sheriff's deputies and the Dallas-based SPCA of Texas seized the following:
- 86 snakes
- 28 dogs
- 26 rabbits
- 15 goats
- 9 pigs
- 267 other animals, including guinea pigs, ferrets, skinks, bearded dragons, geckos, gerbils, tarantulas, turtles, tortoises, mice, rats, doves, pigeons, ducks and turkeys
The SPCA would house and care for the animals taken from the property, the sheriff's office has said.
Sheriff Law said the discovery of the animals was "disturbing" and that ammonia levels from all the animal waste in the house was dangerously high.
The animals were not being kept properly, Law said, but the species were in separate containers.
Law said it was unclear why so many animals were being kept.
"Right now, it's still an ongoing investigation," he said.
Statesman reporter Ralph K.M. Haurwitz contributed to this article.
