Heart Ripped From SoCal Family Farmstead After Animals Stolen

SOUTHERN CALFORNIA — Theft is painful for victims. Especially when it's your animals.

Dan Drake of Murrieta is a large animal veterinarian who, along with his family, operates Drake Family Farms in Ontario. Under the cover of darkness on April 15, thieves cut his farm's fencing, slipped through and stole 12 of his dairy goats. Seven pregnant does and three kids were taken, along with two mamas that had just given birth within hours of the brazen crime. One of the does was in need of medication for life-threatening toxemia. She is now feared dead.

The goats were Alpine, Nubian and Saanen breeds. They were wearing collars and had ear-tattoo numbers.

Just hours before the theft, Drake checked on the pregnant does to make sure there were no complications. All seemed fine.

"Who does this?" Drake asked rhetorically. "It's horrible."

The community has rallied behind the Drake family amid the loss. The Southern California Dairy Goat Association launched a GoFundMe page to raise reward money for anyone who can provide information that will lead to the goats' safe return. As of Friday afternoon, the reward was up to $5,000 — the Drake family had initially offered a $2,000 reward, then the community stepped up via the GoFundMe page with an additional $3,000 and counting.

Ontario Police Detective Michael Williams is leading the investigation into the stolen goats. He said the animals were taken around 11:18 p.m. Surveillance video shows vehicle headlights on the northwest side of the farm. The lights continue to shine for 20 minutes, and then the vehicle drives away. Neither a suspect(s) nor vehicle description were available.

"The investigation is ongoing and we are following up on several leads," Williams said by phone Thursday night. Anyone with tips can contact him at 909-408-1899.

Patch spoke to Drake Thursday night. It was a late call because he had been in the field all day doing his "other" job that "pays the bills," he explained.

Drake tends to Southern California's dairy cows. Much of Thursday was spent ultrasounding about 300 pregnant mamas.

Sounding tired and weary, 52-year-old Drake said he can't stop thinking about his stolen goats.

"Are they in San Bernardino County, L.A., Mexico?" he wondered aloud. "I just hope whoever has them knows about goats."

Drake Family Farms is located on 5 leased acres at 7255 Schaefer Avenue. It's a farmstead, which means it's a working farm, and it's the only one in Southern California specializing in dairy goats.

Drake, his wife, Kim, and their three children — along with paid employees — milk the 500-head herd and make artisan cheese and soap onsite at the farm. They sell the specialty products directly to consumers via drakefamilyfarms.com, at their certified-humane farm from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday, at farmer's markets across the region, and at several high-end restaurants and retailers.

Kim, a nurse practitioner, said the family is heartbroken about their loss. During a phone interview early Thursday afternoon, she explained that every goat on the farm has a name and is loved.

"Nova, she was my son's favorite. She is now gone," Kim said. "It hurts."

Kim worries about her husband.

"This is his passion," she explained.

Dan — or Dr. Dan as his clientele call him — holds a special place in the Southern California agricultural community and in his hometown. He grew up on the Drake family farm in West Jordan, Utah, which dates back to his 1880s ancestors. His family still owns and operates the spread, which is now designated by the state as a historical place.

Dr. Dan has worked with livestock all his life. In 1984 when he was 12 years old, he bought his first dairy goat. She cost a whopping $35.

"My dad pitched in half," he said with a laugh.

Much of his current herd's lineage can be traced to that single animal.

Those formative farm years led Dan to pursue vet school at UC Davis. He graduated in 1999 as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Ten years later, he and Kim married and moved to Murrieta. In 2010, they also signed a lease on the Ontario property.

The Drakes still live in Murrieta but commute to the farm regularly. The family is not rich — earnings are poured into the farmstead. Hay and grain can exceed $20,000 a month, depending on market feed prices. There are employees to pay, and the operation's high utility bills can be overwhelming.

Dr. Dan dreams about retiring from veterinary practice, but he can't manage it yet. Besides, who would take care of his patients? He's one of a dying breed.

The Drakes have purchased 11.7 acres in an unincorporated area of Riverside County. They hope to live there someday and make a real go of the farm business. For now, purse strings are tight. Next year is eyed.

A few Drake-owned goats and cows help keep the weeds down at the property, and Kim visits when she needs to de-stress.

"I need my goat time," she said.

The pressing issue is making the Drake herd complete again.

"I would just like them to come back home," Dr. Dan said of the stolen goats. "I would like justice. Right now, I don't have either."

The veterinarian has a request for Southern Californians — and anyone who might read this.

"If everyone could just check three spots they think the goats might be," he said. "Imagine, that's millions of places. They have to be somewhere."

If you have information about the missing goats, call Ontario Police Detective Michael Williams at 909-408-1899.