Owner of dead dog sought
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 7, 2026
The Island County animal control officer is investigating a dead dog that was left wrapped in a blanket on Libbey Road Monday.
The Island County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident does not seem to be related to the 21 canine bodies that were found washed up last week on Guemes Island, which is across the water from the city of Anacortes.
The dog deaths in Skagit County, which made national news, have left law enforcement mystified and residents worried. The Guemes fire chief told NBC News that the carcasses, which appear to be dogs, looked like they were skinned. The Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, however, said it was unclear because of the advanced state of decomposition.
All of the dogs were about the same size, leading residents to speculate that they may have come from a dog breeder on one of the San Juan islands.
The dog found on Whidbey Island was identified as an intact male chocolate Lab weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. It was found at about 3 p.m., wrapped in a sleeping bag near Libbey Road, not far from the intersection with Highway 20.
The dog, which didn’t have a microchip, appeared to have been dead between 48 hours and a week, the sheriff’s office reported. The only visible injuries to the dog was rodent predation. The injuries didn’t match those on the dead dogs found on Guemes, investigators concluded.
Anyone who knows the identity of the owner can contact Island County Animal Control via the ICOM dispatch center at 360-679-9567 or via e-mail at tips@islandcountywa.gov. The reference case number 26-I04862.
