\n<\/p>\n
A Washington<\/a> state sheriff\u2019s office says it has solved the mystery of nearly two dozen dead canines who washed ashore recently<\/a>.<\/p>\n The animals were foxes being used legally as bait for fishing operations, the Skagit county sheriff\u2019s office said<\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n The agency\u2019s announcement came after local residents had been shaken by the discovery of the carcasses along the shoreline of Guemes Island in late March and early April. The island is about 80 miles (130km) north of Seattle and home to about 600 residents, and investigators had to conduct necropsies due to the state of the bodies.<\/p>\n The carcasses were deteriorated, with some of the bodies missing fur and paws, making it unclear initially what type of canines they were.<\/p>\n Authorities told<\/a> local news station KOMO News that the carcasses probably ended up in the water due to a mechanical problem that led to cargo going overboard.<\/p>\n The sheriff\u2019s office said the carcasses were lawfully purchased and transported to the state. The responsible party has been contacted and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation, according to the agency.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven the facts and circumstances known, the sheriff\u2019s office does not anticipate referring any charges to the prosecutor\u2019s office,\u201d the agency\u2019s added in a statement.<\/p>\n Local residents had reported being horrified over the discovery, likening it to \u201cthe start of a horror movie\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a creepy mystery out here,\u201d said<\/a> Olivia Cole, the fire chief of Guemes Island.<\/p>\n