ROBERT LEE HOOVER, owner of Family Farms, arrested, his animals seized, and the farm shut down

- Florida, USA -

⚠️WARNING⚠️The article contains pictures some of you may find distressing⚠️

On Thursday, July 24, 2025, officers with the Davie Police Department executed a search warrant at Family Farms located at 14950 SW 14^th Street as part of an investigation into numerous complaints received about animal welfare at the business.

According to authorities, the animals were found to be malnourished, prompting their removal from the farm and the facility shutting down.

The owner of the farm, 51-year-old ROBERT LEE HOOVER (pictured), was arrested and booked into the Broward County Jail on a $28,500 bond. HOOVER was charged with eight misdemeanor counts of tormenting or killing an animal and eight felony counts of causing death or suffering to an animal.

Davie Police said they launched an investigation in April 2025, after receiving complaints from local residents and animal welfare organizations, including PETA, about malnourished and mistreated animals.

Through a covert investigation, officials documented a worrying situation and according to the report, “Both times the bovines on the property have their spinal columns, ribs, and hip bone protruding that would suggest they are being underfed.” The report further stated: “The bovines did not have any visible food in their pens and relied on patrons purchasing food from the business to feed them”, and added: “The bovines stampede to visitors when they are presented with food that suggests they are hungry and not being fed.”

Investigators additionally reported that the water troughs for the animals appeared to be yellow and did not have fresh water and in one cow pen, “there was no grass to graze on.”  

According to Davie Police Department Officer Daniel Broder, HOOVER “was unable to provide any veterinarian records for any of the animals on the property and when examined, they all needed some sort of care from a veterinarian” and went on to report: “The search of his property did not reveal any veterinarian documents.”

Investigators further reported that a pig had overgrown hooves, and another one was so severely sunburned that parts of his/her skin, especially behind his/her right ear, “were raw and bloody.”

On Friday, July 25, 2025, HOOVER appeared at Broward County Circuit Court before Judge Corey Brian Friedman. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from “possessing” any animals.

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In the case of charges being dropped, dismissed, or the case being purged, this article will be rectified accordingly, if official documentation is provided to Voice For Us.

HOOVER’s mugshot via Broward County Sheriff’s Office

Pictures provided to Voice For Us by the Davie Police Department

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