COLLEGE PLACE, Wash. – Two College Place residents were detained following a shocking discovery at their apartment, police said in a release.
On May 18, police said they responded to a welfare check in the 200 block of North College Avenue after a neighbor expressed concern about the living conditions of animals inside.
Through the window, investigators said they observed a filthy apartment with feces, garbage and what appeared to be dead animals.
Inside, two frantic dogs were found along with several dead birds and cats. No food or water was available for the animals, police said.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) was called in due to concerns about exotic species. During the investigation, police said additional animal remains were discovered in a freezer, some possibly from protected species.
The two people arrested, ages 21 and 19, were trying to operate a taxidermy business, police said. One of them is charged with 22 counts of animal cruelty in the first degree.
The WDFW is conducting a separate investigation that may lead to federal charges.
The surviving animals have been relocated for proper care.
