Photo from Villa Chardonnay, Horses With Wings, Inc. Facebook page
By Karen Pearlman
May 1, 2026 (Julian) — In what appears to be one of the largest ever animal welfare interventions locally, the San Diego Humane Society, the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services and several more partner agencies launched a massive rescue operation of animals with welfare concerns early Friday morning, May 1, at a 20-acre rural sanctuary in Julian.
SDHS officials say that an investigation into the site began in early April and that San Diego DAS “had previous reports about the property but only recently received legal authority to enter.”
Supported by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Humane Law Enforcement officers served a search warrant at Villa Chardonnay, Horses With Wings, Inc., the property at 4554 Boulder Creek Road in Julian just after sunrise.
The rescue operation at Villa Chardonnay involves large groups of veterinary teams, emergency responders and animal care specialists. The collective effort is doing triage work, aiming to rescue and relocate hundreds of animals currently living on the site.
Property records from last September show that 4554 Boulder Creek Road is in foreclosure, with an unpaid balance of nearly $1.7 million. According to the online nonprofit group Candid/Guidestar, “Villa Chardonnay Horses with Wings has received 25 grants from 10 grantmakers totaling $1,235,486 over the most recent 5 years of available data.”
While an official census of animals in distress is still being finalized as teams work through the property in Julian, the sheer volume of animals is staggering, SDHS officials say.
Preliminary reports from the scene include about 165 horses and several ponies, more than 150 cats and 30 dogs. There are also rescue efforts going to get donkeys, alpacas, goats, geese, chickens, roosters, turkeys, ravens and a crow.
SDHS officials are asking anyone whose animal is believed to have been surrendered to or was housed at Villa Chardonnay, to please complete this form. A member of the group’s Humane Law Enforcement team will follow up with those affected, and officials note that they are working to respond as quickly as possible.
The variety and number of animals suggest a logistical challenge of historic proportions for the responding agencies, according to a spokesperson from the County.
Photo, right, courtesy San Diego Humane Society: A horse is examined by members of rescue groups at Villa Chardonnay in Julian.
Julian falls outside the standard jurisdiction of the San Diego Humane Society, but County officials made the decision because of the complexity of the case to transfer authority to the nonprofit.
“County Animal Services medical team is working alongside our partners to provide medical care and basic animal care to help a large number of animals at the property. Hundreds of animals are being assessed and treated at the property,” a statement from the County DAS said.
“County Animal Services had previous reports about the property, but only recently received legal authority to enter. The department transferred the case to the San Diego Humane Society on April 24, 2026, to provide broader resources in coordinating the care of the animals. We will continue to work with Humane Law Enforcement who is leading the investigation.”
The scope of the rescue has required a “all hands on deck” approach. SDHS is leading the investigation, but the effort is bolstered by mutual aid from across the state, including: Pasadena Humane Society, LA County Animal Care & Control and Marin Humane.
“This is a massive undertaking,” an SDHS spokesperson noted, emphasizing that the sheer volume of horses alone requires specialized transport and long-term care facilities that few individual agencies can provide on their own.
Questions about Villa Chardonnay
The SDHS reported late Friday that a judge has turned over ownership of the animals from the Villa Chardonnay sanctuary in Julian and officially transferred it to San Diego Humane Society.
The Villa Chardonnay website said the grounds are home to more than 600 rescued animals and note that they animals “find love, safety and a second chance at life.”
The website says that since 2003, the group has been dedicated to providing a forever home to animals who have been abandoned, neglected or abused, “ensuring they live out their days in peace and comfort. By being a lifeline for these incredible creatures, your tax-deductible donations and ongoing support truly make a world of difference. Together, we can give them the care, compassion, and second chance they deserve!”
Photo, left: A rescued animal from Villa Chardonnay in Julian is cared for by medical staff. Photo courtesy San Diego Humane Society.
Villa Chardonnay – Horses with Wings was previously located in Hemet, on a leased 31-acre property around 2016-17, after leaving Temecula.
The sanctuary faced eviction and, in 2019, accused a person of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Back in 2019 when it was located in Hemet in Riverside County, Valley News reported that Villa Chardonnay Animal Sanctuary had to come up with more than $1 million by the end of the year after allegations were made that a man embezzled more than $400,000 from the sanctuary. At the time, the site was home to more than 300 animals.
Villa Chardonnay put out a news release in July 2019 that reads:
“Hemet Sheriff Department is investigating an alleged investor who stole tens of thousands of dollars from Villa Chardonnay, an accredited
animal sanctuary. Posing as a former professional sports agent and investment group manager representing basketball greats such as Magic Johnson Russell Westbrook and Jason Kidd, Ron Allen offered to provide funding for Villa Chardonnay’s forever Hemet home.
“As part of the real estate transaction, Mr. Allen required Villa Chardonnay to pay him for escrow fees, attorney fees and other related real estate transaction expenses. Although the fees were paid, Mr. Allen provided none of the services or funding as promised. He willfully stole the money from the non-profit, jeopardizing over 300 animals and horses that live at the sanctuary.
“ ‘Without this funding we will not be able to close on the property,’ said Executive Director Monika Kerber, ‘and the animals will have no place to go. The animals we provide sanctuary for are the discarded, sick and formerly abused. They come to Villa Chardonnay to finish out their lives, otherwise they will be destroyed.’
“Mr. Allen came to know Villa Chardonnay through a friend of his who relinquished a horse. After visiting the property, Ron Allen offered to assist in the $1.4 million financing and real estate transaction necessary to purchase the thirty-one-acre Hemet property. He provided falsified documents and related materials to establish his credibility.”
Local concerns and activity
On the Julian Connection Facebook page on Friday, Heidi Redman posted the following, which includes accusations that have not been vetted or verified:
“I’m going to put this out there because there’s a lot of information swirling around concerning the horse and Animal Sanctuary that had all of its animals removed today by the humane society. I know the owners of this organization and I’ve been on their property many times. And I can tell you with my hand on a Bible that those all of those animals were well taken care of and I know for a fact how much they love them all and would do anything for those animals. But they had a person from another rescue in Northern California that had a lot of money and had a vendetta against them over a donkey. And then there was another person that scammed them out of roughly half a million dollars. They they trusted the wrong people. And it cost them everything. But I can tell you this with complete certainty they are wonderful people and they loved those animals with all their hearts and souls.”
With the influx of hundreds of animals, many which may need intensive medical care and rehabilitation, the timing of the rescue presents a significant challenge for the San Diego Humane Society. The organization is currently operating well over capacity at its existing local shelters, a common trend across California animal welfare groups in recent months, and a challenge at the County Department of Animal Services sites around the region as well.
SDHS officials are making an urgent plea to the San Diego community for immediate assistance. Visit https://sdhumane.org/ to find out how to help. For those interested in tracking the progress of the rescue or looking for ways to directly assist, the SDHS has established a webpage at sdhumane.org/julianrescue
To help the County of San Diego Department of Animal Services, visit here.
11 Responses
We have 4 cats there. How do we get them back?
Meredith, visit https://form.jotform.com/261207109828053
If they need help I know a place that can take in horses and donkeys
Be sure to reach out to https://sdhumane.org/ if you can help!
People are the problem, and the animals are the ones that are harmed. Villa Chardonnay is a great place for animals, especially old and disabled ones, and so many rescues know and trust them. I believe this whole fiasco was started by money grubbing and jealous people that can’t stand to let kind and big-hearted rescuers have a place (especially a large piece of property) to help animals.
I have helped them also and I totally agree with you and your statement
Hello. I am a Simi Retired Horse Trainer
With 45 yrs experience. I would like to Vollenteer some time to help out. I can also transport horses. Own a rig in good working condition
Thank you Karen for staying on top of this and getting us the truth! God bless you my friend!🙏
I have yet to see one ailing animal or any type of a medical situation on any of them. No bad hooves, no emaciated animals, no dead ones laying around or anything. The property is beautiful!! My personal opinion is that she mad the judge mad when she did not follow his court orders and that set the rest in motion. Where do you think these poor horses will end up now?? They will euthanize them. Way to get your donations up SDHS!! You get no pat on the back from me this time.
I have driven by their stopped to check on horses multiple times I have never seen any emaciated or crippled horses or dying horses I know these ladies had their hearts in the right place people do take advantage of big-hearted people and if San Diego humane society cannot rehome or Foster these animals out I know personally local animal lovers who like to Foster some of these animals they have the space they have the knowledge of caring for animals and resources and so far all that have inquired about helping and fostering some of these animals have been turned away I think it’s sad knowing that rehoming them close by to smaller rescuers or fosters would save a lot of money on transport a lot of money on care and feed for these animals to be dismissed on their inquiries or offers to help as many as they have offered to be turned away or just ignored and if what I read is true all of the horses have been removed from the place that they should have been able to live out their lives at and transporter to who knows where the cost alone has to be huge when they could have fostered them close to their promised homes and in the same vicinity it is so sad that all the red tape and a little people who may not be able to take all the animals would make a difference on the staggering numbers that will be needing care for by the humane society and other rescued agencies governed by politics and red tape can’t see the help offered would help out their whole problem
I would call on Best Friends Society to ensure no animal taken by the SanDiego H society will be killed. Killing is never the solution.
Sad that grps in the animal steward movement wd be jealous and nasty if this is so. That kind individulal, if and when true, does not belong in animal stewardship. Sad they got scammed. It is sad our society does not more heavily stop these corrupt scammers and make them accountable.