Over 50 Neglected Animals Seized From Two Brewster Properties; Several Dead Also Found

Over 50 domestic animals are recovering, while numerous others are dead and their owners are facing possible charges as part of an animal abuse investigation in Okanogan County.

The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office says it began on Oct. 8 when an animal abuse complaint was filed by an animal rescue worker who had made a dog food delivery to a property along U.S. Highway 97 near Cassimer Bar Access Road just east of Brewster.

The complaint detailed concerns that several animals, including dogs, goats, and horses, were observed as being emaciated and in poor health.

Following the complaint, a local animal rescue organization was retained to assist the owners in addressing the concerns, and the owners soon voluntarily surrendered 12 dogs and agreed to provide access to several other animals in their care for no-cost examinations by a veterinarian.

Animal rescue workers returned to the property with a veterinarian on Oct. 23 and conducted exams on all of the large animals there, with the exception of two horses which had been initially observed at the location but were no longer on the premises.

The owners reportedly agreed to surrender one of the horses but refused to give up the other, and also declined to surrender other animals that were noted to be in need of urgent medical care.

Additional attempts by the rescue organization to solicit the cooperation of the owners were unsuccessful, and the Sheriff's Office applied for and was granted a search warrant for the property that was executed on Oct. 29.

As a result, Sheriff's officials and the Omak Police Department's animal control officer seized a total of 50 animals from the location, including 26 goats, 10 chickens, six ducks, five horses, two dogs, and a donkey.

Authorities also discovered numerous deceased animals on the property, including four horses, two dogs, one cow, and a calf, along with several chickens.

Two small dogs and one service animal were also found at the property but were allowed to remain.

Four days later on Nov. 2, the Sheriff's Office served an additional search warrant at a residence on State Route 173 in the Brewster area where both of the horses which officials noted had been moved from the other property were found.

The horses were seized and removed from the location with the assistance of agents from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, and both were examined by a veterinarian and found to be in a state of severe neglect.

All of the animals seized from both properties are currently receiving the required care for their respective recoveries and are at varying stages of improving health.

Sheriff's officials have not cited any specific charges the owners of the animals might now be facing.