MANORVILLE, NY – The Double D Bar Ranch in Manorville, New York, is facing 112 counts of animal neglect following an extensive investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors allege that the self-proclaimed animal sanctuary failed to provide adequate food, water, shelter, and veterinary care to numerous animals, including cows, goats, horses, pigs, sheep, a mule, and an alpaca.
The investigation began in early January 2025, after authorities received numerous complaints about the welfare of animals at the ranch, particularly during a stretch of extreme winter temperatures. Detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team (BEAST) visited the property almost daily, where they reportedly found animals without proper shelter and lacking access to water. Several animals were discovered deceased, while others exhibited serious medical conditions such as dental disease, tumors, infections, lameness, emaciation, and overgrown hooves and claws.
In response, BEAST detectives and animal welfare organizations worked for weeks to provide emergency care and relocate dozens of animals. Various groups, including 13 Hands Equine Rescue, Blue Arrow Farm, and Humane Long Island, assisted in the effort. Prosecutors note that law enforcement officials also personally tended to the animals while assessing the conditions at the ranch.
On February 13, 2025, Double D Bar Ranch was arraigned in Suffolk County District Court before Judge Susan A. Berland. The court granted two orders: prohibiting the ranch from taking in additional animals while the case is ongoing and allowing law enforcement to conduct continuous welfare checks on the remaining animals. The next court appearance is scheduled for February 26, 2025.
Double D Bar Ranch, which has operated for over 30 years as a sanctuary for unwanted and abused farm animals, denies the allegations. Attorneys for the ranch claim they have evidence to refute the charges and argue that the facility has been unfairly targeted.
