Animal neglect is being blamed for the deaths of more than 160 birds and other animals at a barn in Deer Park.

Officers from SCRAPS responded to a barn on West Brophy Road and found nearly 200 starving rabbits, chickens and pigeons locked in their cages and abandoned by their owners.

“The officer found mostly dead birds, a few alive, no food or water.. Conditions … the pens not very clean,” Nancy Hill with SCRAPS said.

Officers fed and watered the animals that were still alive and left the man renting this rural property a red tag 24 hour warning.

  (Photo courtesy of KXLY4)

“There was no response to the notice. The first day we were there we did offer food and water and shelter in place out of concern for the animals and then with no response, went back the next day, executed a search warrant to remove all the animals,” Hill said.

The surviving animals were taken to the SCRAPS (Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service) shelter in the Spokane Valley where workers used old mops handles to convert a dog pen into a pigeon coop. The birds are malnourished, but recovering.

“The ones that were alive were very happy to have food and water, went right for it,” Hill said.

Animal control officers say they found feed for the birds and rabbits on site but that the animals just couldn't get to it.

The Revised Code of Washington provides that animals do need to be cared for at least once every 36 hours and that's provided you leave enough to last the 36 hours, Hill said.

Investigators are now trying to interview the animals owner before deciding if felony cruelty charges are warranted.

As for all of the birds and rabbits that didn’t survive they are now being kept frozen as evidence in the case.

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