Dozens of dead animals found at 'house of horrors'
WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. -- Animal rescuers have uncovered what they're calling a "house of horrors" in Birch Bay -- a vacant farm where dozens of animals were abandoned.
A tip led rescuers with the Pasado's Safe Haven to the property outside of Ferndale.
There they found several sheds filled with dead animals, including turkeys, chickens and even ducklings that were left behind to fend for themselves. They found some smashed in mud and feces in pens, others even stacked up in a trash can. Horses and cows were also found.
"They were just throwing them in" said Susan Michaels with the Pasado's Animal Rescue. "They were just throwing these animals in, just like garbage."
Michaels said whoever left the animals behind shut the shed's door on the turkeys, trapping them inside without food or water.
"It's absolutely disgusting but just sad, just so horrific to see that kind of struggle," she said. "I mean all of them, you see turkeys up against the door to a door that's locked, latched."
Rescuers managed to save some chickens, but most appeared to have been dead for days or even weeks.
"These people just decided apparently to just leave these animals behind like they left behind all the other garbage," Michaels said. "I just can't believe that people, when they decide to leave a property they leave behind their trash just like they leave behind things with beating hearts."
Records show property belongs to the family of Michael Koenen, a kicker for the Atlanta Falcons, but investigators don't believe the NFL player had anything to do with what they've found.
Records also indicate the property owner has just sold the land to a refinery. Sgt. Scott Huso with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said the original owner would be held responsible for the tragic mess as soon as investigators track him down.
"I don't have his exact location at this point we're still doing the investigation," Huso said.
The property owner could face charges of animal abandonment and even animal cruelty.
A tip led rescuers with the Pasado's Safe Haven to the property outside of Ferndale.
There they found several sheds filled with dead animals, including turkeys, chickens and even ducklings that were left behind to fend for themselves. They found some smashed in mud and feces in pens, others even stacked up in a trash can. Horses and cows were also found.
"They were just throwing them in" said Susan Michaels with the Pasado's Animal Rescue. "They were just throwing these animals in, just like garbage."
Michaels said whoever left the animals behind shut the shed's door on the turkeys, trapping them inside without food or water.
"It's absolutely disgusting but just sad, just so horrific to see that kind of struggle," she said. "I mean all of them, you see turkeys up against the door to a door that's locked, latched."
Rescuers managed to save some chickens, but most appeared to have been dead for days or even weeks.
"These people just decided apparently to just leave these animals behind like they left behind all the other garbage," Michaels said. "I just can't believe that people, when they decide to leave a property they leave behind their trash just like they leave behind things with beating hearts."
Records show property belongs to the family of Michael Koenen, a kicker for the Atlanta Falcons, but investigators don't believe the NFL player had anything to do with what they've found.
Records also indicate the property owner has just sold the land to a refinery. Sgt. Scott Huso with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office said the original owner would be held responsible for the tragic mess as soon as investigators track him down.
"I don't have his exact location at this point we're still doing the investigation," Huso said.
The property owner could face charges of animal abandonment and even animal cruelty.