Deputies found 67 dogs and a horse on the property. Another horse was found dead.
GRAPEVIEW, Wash. — Mason County authorities are investigating an animal cruelty case involving about 60 animals on Sunday.
The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon that the incident happened in the Grapeview area. Deputies found 67 dogs, one horse and another horse was found dead on the property. Eight dogs are in critical condition and are receiving immediate attention, according to deputies.
The department said the responsible party is in custody in what is now a criminal investigation.
“I can’t understand how someone accumulates so many dogs,” said Katherine Johnson, executive director of the Humane Society of Mason County.
The suspect’s property sits on a rural residential road in Mason County’s Grapeview neighborhood, and several dogs can be heard barking loudly through the trees.
“Shepherds, Pyrenees, Poodles, Chihuahuas, Dachsunds, lots of Huskies,” Johnson said.
Deputies told KING 5 that the suspect, a woman, has lived in a shack on the property for about seven years, but that her animals are largely out of sight, tucked in behind tree cover from the road. But on Saturday, deputies said a neighbor spotted a malnourished black lab and called 911.
The lab “couldn’t even stand up on its own feet,” said Matt Colbenson, Mason County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
According to deputies, eight of the dogs were transported to the ER to get immediate medical care.
“One dog is just skin and bones,” Co,benson said, as he looked at photos allegedly taken on the smartphone of another deputy. “That one’s a brindle-colored dog. I’m also seeing one dog that has duct tape around his mouth.”
Colbenson said the suspect has a history.
“This is nothing new to her,” Colbenson said. “It appears that she’s had some other investigations with animal cruelty and other counties as well.”
Colbenson said she has now surrendered her dogs to authorities, which deputies said is a good thing. But, those Mason County deputies are now working overtime.
“Since she released it over to Mason County’s custody, we’re now responsible for caring for these dogs. That’s why we’re going to be staying here, most likely overnight,” Colbenson said.
The horse and 59 remaining dogs are now stuck on the property, being looked after by deputies, until shelters or rescues can take them in.
“We are reaching out to shelters across the state to try to figure out where we can get these dogs placed,” Johnson said.
Once the animals are placed and medically evaluated, they’ll be up for adoption at those shelters.
“Probably in the next month,” Johnson said.
But in the meantime, they’re being cared for by one small – but mighty – two-year-old nonprofit: the Humane Society of Mason County. They run entirely on donations and grants, and they are busily bringing the dogs food and water on their own dime.
“Really, really nice dogs,” Johnson said. “There’s gonna be a lot of great dogs for adoption.”
If you’d like to support the Humane Society of Mason County’s efforts to provide immediate care for the dogs involved in this case, click here to donate.
Mason County Sheriff’s Deputies told KING 5 that last year they responded to more than 840 animal-related complaints last year alone. Due to budget cuts, the office had to eliminate its animal control position six years ago.