JASCOM details large cockfighting investigation, launches cruelty-response volunteer and foster program; receives major bequest

Joint Animal Services staff used the April 21 meeting to describe a large-scale cruelty investigation, announce a new cruelty-response volunteer and foster program, and report significant private donations that could support future capital planning.

Sarah Hock, the agency's executive director, said Joint Animal Services helped lead a major cockfighting-related seizure in unincorporated Thurston County earlier in 2025. "It was, in my understanding, one of the largest cockfighting cases that Washington state has seen ..." Hock said. The agency worked with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, the state animal-fighting task force and at least eight other jurisdictions; staff said they initially seized 60 birds for evidentiary and medical reasons and later processed additional animals after obtaining court orders. Prosecutors filed hundreds of charges related to the case, as staff described it.

Sierra Teas, the animal welfare and field services manager, described the investigative emphasis on documentation and animal identification. Teas said careful tagging and documentation of birds and associated evidence strengthened the case and enables follow-up enforcement and tracing of bloodlines and sourcing.

To improve response capacity in future large-scale cases, staff launched a vetted "cruelty-response volunteer and foster program." Teas said the program pairs a trained, background-checked volunteer corps with animal-control officers for on-scene support and post-seizure foster care for animals with medical or behavioral needs. "The idea behind this program is we have seen an increase in these large scale cruelty cases ... the foster piece of this is a lot of these animals from these cases have specific behavioral and medical needs," Teas said. The first training was scheduled for the weekend after the meeting; staff said the initial cohort would be limited and thoroughly vetted, and volunteers would not act as investigators but would assist with documentation, photography and shelter intake support.

In her director's report, Hock said Joint Animal Services received several estate bequests in 2025, including nearly $1 million from the estate of Anne Reid Flannery. Hock said the executor preferred those funds support capital facilities; staff noted the agency's capital planning for a new facility ranges from roughly $28 million to $40 million in current planning estimates. Hock added that state-level capital funding was under consideration: staff said a 2025 legislative request for $2 million in design funding had been reduced in committee, and current indications pointed to about $1 million for design if approved.

Why it matters: The cruelty case demonstrates the scale and complexity of organized animal-cruelty investigations and the need for coordinated multi-jurisdictional response. The volunteer and foster program aims to keep the shelter operational during large seizures and increase live outcomes for seized animals. The estate gifts and potential state design funding could materially affect plans for a new shelter facility.

Next steps: Staff will continue to vet volunteers, run training and onboarding for the cruelty-response program, maintain investigative coordination with prosecutors and partner agencies, and pursue capital planning and funding options for a future facility.