A Washington state sheriff’s office says it has solved the mystery of nearly two dozen dead canines that washed ashore in the area near Guemes Island.
The Skagit county sheriff’s office said on Friday that the animals were foxes and that they had been used legally as bait for fishing operations. The finding answered a local question that had drawn attention after the discovery of the dead animals on the shore.
The incident had shaken residents in the Guemes Island area, where the unusual discovery prompted concern and speculation about what had happened. Officials have now said the animals were not dogs, but foxes connected to legal fishing activity.
According to the sheriff’s office, the matter has been explained by the bait use. The update brings a conclusion to a situation that had left people in the community unsettled by the presence of the dead animals along the shoreline.
No additional details were included in the brief statement from officials. The announcement focused on the identification of the animals and the fact that their use as fishing bait was legal.
The case had stood out because of the number of animals involved and the uncertainty around their origins. With the sheriff’s office now identifying them as foxes, local authorities say the mystery has been resolved.
