Animals adopted after seizure in possible cruelty case

All 99 large animals seized last week on a rural property northwest of Elk have been adopted, a news release from the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service said. “Our community has been wonderful, so many people have opened their hearts and homes to take on these animals,” said SCRAPS Director Nancy Hill. SCRAPS has adopted every horse, goat, sheep, dog and llama from the seizure, she said. After receiving numerous complaints about the condition of the animals at 42505 N. Bruce Road, SCRAPS conducted the seizure on Feb. 24. The site included some dead animals and others penned with no food. A veterinarian examined each animal and rated all of them either thin or emaciated, the bottom ratings in veterinary medicine, Hill said at the time. Due to the volume of information, no charging decisions have been made yet, Hill said. Officers will continue to investigate potential charges of first-degree animal cruelty, a class C felony carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, or second-degree animal cruelty, a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to $1,000 or 90 days in jail.