A Bedford County man was jailed Wednesday on animal cruelty charges after authorities searched his property and said they found 12 dead alpacas and one dead emu.

Phillip Sewell Parnell, 47, is being held in the Bedford Blue Ridge Regional Jail on a $5,000 bond. A grand jury indicted him Tuesday on 14 counts of animal cruelty.

Maj. Ricky Gardner of the Bedford County Sheriff's Office said deputies searched Parnell's rural property at 1248 Locust Lane on Jan. 12 after receiving a complaint. The property, where Parnell lives, is located roughly halfway between Otterville and Cifax.

The deputies said they found the dozen dead alpacas and the dead emu, along with three live sheep, three live goats and eight live alpacas.

A veterinarian examined the living animals and determined they were in very poor condition, Gardner said. The animals are now in the care of an animal rescue group from eastern Virginia.

Scott Baker, agricultural extension agent in Bedford, said the county is home to two or three alpaca farms, but overall they're rare in Bedford. The animals -- which are a domesticated South American llama -- are similar to other livestock, he said, in that "there's no real special care required."

Gardner said investigators found alpaca wool on Parnell's property but don't know why he kept the animals. Parnell could not be reached for comment.

The investigation is continuing, and Parnell could face other charges, according to authorities.