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67 animals pulled from Thurston County property
Dozens of abused animals are recovering at a sanctuary in Roy after they were seized from what rescuers describe as one of the most disturbing cruelty cases they’ve ever encountered.
ROY, Wash. - Dozens of abused animals are recovering at a sanctuary in Roy, Washington after they were seized from what rescuers describe as one of the most disturbing cruelty cases they’ve ever encountered.
On Saturday, Heartwood Haven Sanctuary sprang into action after receiving a call to rescue animals from a Thurston County property in Rochester.
They arrived to find a grim scene: pigs, chickens, and waterfowl living in filth, surrounded by rotting carcasses, and without food or water.
What they're saying:
"The pens were full of feces. There were dead bodies in pretty much every single pen," said Kate Tsyrklevich of Heartwood Haven.
The sanctuary ultimately took in all 67 animals.
"Essentially, we were told either we take the animals or they’re going to go to slaughter," Tsyrklevich said. "Once we saw the conditions they were in, we decided to take everything, including the birds. Because we couldn’t possibly leave them there."
Local perspective:
Now, the animals are being cared for in quarantine fields, where they're receiving medical attention. Heartwood Haven is testing the animals for diseases through bloodwork, fecal exams, and mouth swabs, before they can put them up for adoption.
"They did not have access to water. For pigs in the summertime, that’s the only way for them to cool down," Tsyrklevich said.
She pointed out one pot-bellied pig whose spine and hipbones were clearly visible.
"Pigs should never be this thin. Where you can see bones sticking out like that," she said, adding that many are also suffering from mange.
What's next:
Though the trauma is fresh, signs of recovery are starting to emerge. The pigs are wagging their tails and making beds in hay.
Heartwood Haven rescues 200 to 300 animals every year, with roughly 85 percent coming from cruelty cases. This summer alone has been particularly busy, with several large-scale rescues in recent weeks.
"Because we deal with cruelty cases on a large scale multiple times a year," Tsyrklevich said. "We could always use volunteers, donations — those things make the world go round for us."
FOX 13 reached out to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office for additional information on the seizure and has not heard back.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Lauren Donovan.