In Carter County, Tennessee, law enforcement arrested three individuals on Sunday amid an ongoing animal cruelty investigation. This follows the removal of several exotic animals from a local residence.

The Carter County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) disclosed in a news release that Sarah Oaks, aged 43, Ryan Oaks, aged 42, and Nathaniel Oaks, aged 22, have each been charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty.

The investigation began on June 5 when a deputy responded to the Oaks’ home in the Stoney Creek community.

At the home, the deputy reportedly found several animals in pens without clean water, food or shelter.

The CCSO report mentioned that a deputy discovered numerous animals inside a storage shed where they lacked access to clean water and food, with extremely high temperatures noted within the shed. The deputy reported that the animals showed signs of dehydration and were underweight, with some appearing to be in distress.

Deputies, along with an officer with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Crime Unit and the director of the Elizabethton/Carter County Animal Shelter, removed the following exotic animals from the home:

• One dog
• Two pigs
• Two lemurs
• One rooster
• Eight ducks
• Eight snakes
• Two lizards
• Eight rabbits
• Two ferrets

The animals were evaluated by veterinarians, who confirmed that all were underweight and dehydrated, the CCSO reported. Some of the animals also had additional health issues.

As of Monday, Ryan and Nathanial Oaks remain in the Carter County Detention Center on a $30,000 bond each.

Sarah Oaks was released after posting a $30,000 bond, according to the sheriff’s office.