LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Animal rescue groups called it horrendous: hundreds of birds and other animals suffering on a property on Las Cruces’ East Mesa.

The Dona Ana County Animal Control office gave the owners what they consider ample time to reduce the animal population on the property.

Animal Control first got word of the hoarding case in July, when an anonymous caller turned in a malnourished horse.

When investigators went in, they told the owners of the property, that they would be back, and they took the malnourished horse.

“Seeing all of the dead and deceased animals as well as the conditions that they are being kept in is a heartbreaking situation for these animals. They are clearly suffering here,” said Heather Ferguson, an animal protection legislative director for New Mexico.

Officers returned to the Troncoso's home Wednesday morning to find the animal population had been reduced in the past few months, but hundreds of animals still remain.

“We found what we believe to be 350 animals. It is a wide variety, most of which are probably birds,” said Curtis Childress, director of Dona Ana County Animal Control.

Investigators said they needed to document all the animals before they could be removed.

“We're looking at chickens, parakeets, doves and pigeons,” said Childress.

More malnourished horses were the first to be removed, while other livestock, including goats, followed.

“In the beginning, she was cooperative. Then it kind of switched and turned around and she was asking us to leave the property, so we served a search warrant,” said Childress.

Neighbors said they were asked by law enforcement if they had noticed anything unusual a few weeks ago. They said they hadn’t noticed.

“It's kind of creepy that those kind of people would be living right across the street from me,” said neighbor Danette Gonzalez.

It's unclear what charges the owners will face at this time, whether misdemeanor or felony charges.

“You know, we have never dealt with a bulk group of birds. We've dealt with roosters and those are fairly easy to find places for. We've dealt with hoarding cases with cats and dogs and we've dealt with fighting dogs. Birds are new," said Childress.

What will they do with all the birds? Tonight on KFOX News At Nine, we’ll explain where they will go once collected.