STRATHMORE – A woman was taken into custody Tuesday on suspicion of animal cruelty stemming from an investigation in late July.

Strathmore resident Linda Baker Corsiglia was arrested on four counts of animal cruelty and booked at the Bob Wiley Detention Facility.

The investigation began after deputies from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Porterville Substation and officers from Tulare County Animal Control responded to the 21000 block of Road 254 on July 29 with a possible animal cruelty and neglect investigation. Officers had been told that the woman at this residence had adopted many animals from Kern County and was reportedly operating an animal rescue center.

Upon arrival at the residence, officers found a horse on the property with no food or water, and numerous deceased animals in various stages of decomposition around the property. They also observed dogs, cats, birds and other animals in the residence both inside and outside of cages. All of the animals appeared to be in various stages of neglect, according to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department.

Officers were able to obtain a search warrant and entered the residence to secure the animals, which included dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, parakeets, cockatiels, a chinchilla, a cockatoo, and a rooster.

“At that time, approximately 200 animals were located at the residence and 44 were of those were deceased,” said sheriff’s spokesperson Chris Douglass. “Animal Control took possession of (all) the animals.”

Officers also discovered that a 16-year-old juvenile was residing in the residence and contacted Child Welfare Services due to the extremely poor living conditions.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department’s Agricultural Crimes Unit has been working with the Tulare County District Attorney’s office to complete an in-depth investigation into this and similar incidents involving suspect, Linda Corsiglia, according to the sheriff’s department. She was arrested without incident.