On February 24, 2012, local officials requested the emergency assitance of American Humane’s animal first responders after receiving a tip of an alleged case of animal cruelty in Spokane County, Washington.
Upon arrival at the scene, our teams found more than 86 animals, including horses, llamas, sheep and other emaciated on the property who were scared, alone and hungry. Tragically, many animals had already died.

Along with the help of volunteers from the Humane Evacuation Animal Rescue and the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), all parties worked together to race the 86 helpless animals who had been left to starve to death. The animals were rushed to an emergency shelter at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center in Spokane. Once the painfully thin surviving animals arrived to the emergency shelter, they received the desperately needed food, water and loving care that they deserved.

Each and every volunteer played a major role to ensure that all of the large animals that were seized were immediately cared for.

Because these animals were part of a horrific criminal case, they remained in an emergency shelter for quite some time, however the American Humane first responders stayed on the scene to see that each and every animal was received the care and attention they needed.