On April 1, deputies from the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office assisted members of the Centralia Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET) and the Drug Enforcement Administration with search warrants they were serving at two residences in the Oakville area.

The search warrants stemmed from a several month-long joint investigation by JNET and the Drug Enforcement Administration into drug trafficking and animal fighting taking place at the locations.

During the service of the search warrants it was discovered that there were several chickens at the locations that were believed to be kept for animal fighting.

The Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office seized a total of 87 chickens from the locations with 81 of them being roosters.

Grays Harbor County deputies and investigators from JNET and the Drug Enforcement Administration also located several items of paraphernalia that could be used in illegal animal fighting. These items were seized as evidence. The Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate this incident with the assistance of JNET and the DEA and charges are pending for violating laws against animal fighting

On Friday, April 18, 80 of the chickens were turned over to Heartwood Haven of Roy to be evaluated and rehomed. Heartwood Haven is a nonprofit organization that rescues animals from abuse and rehabilitates them for future placement.

A statement from Heartwood Haven said the roosters “were set to be euthanized if we didn’t step in to take them and now we need your help to find them homes. … So far, we only have three adoptions lined up. These boys are guaranteed to be sweet and kind. If not, we always take them back. While they are safe at the sanctuary, they are currently living in crates since they all must be separated. We need your help to take them from surviving to thriving.”

If you would like to donate to Heartwood Haven or adopt one of these animals, you can visit their Facebook page or visit their website at https://heartwoodhaven.org/