Horse euthanized amid probe into whether animal's tongue was intentionally cut out

YELM, Wash. -- (KCPQ) -- Thurston County sheriff's deputies are investigating whether someone cut out the tongue of a horse or if the tongue was severed in an accident.

Deputies say Annie, a 28 year-old sweet horse who would approach anyone, was found Tuesday without a tongue in her owner's backyard in the 9500 block of Bridge Road in Yelm. Unfortunately, Annie wouldn't have been able to survive without her tongue and was euthanized later Wednesday.

The sheriff's deputy says the vet will do a necropsy on the horse to determine exactly what happened. The results we be available Thursday. The vet now says it is inconclusive as to whether the tongue was cut out by suspects or yanked out accidentally, which is why they want to do the necropsy, the deputy said. If she was mutilated, it would have taken three or four people to hold her down, the sheriff's office said.

Turns out, there was another recent case of animal abuse nearby. Deputies say it's possible they may be connected.

"There was a situation a couple months ago with a sheep that was found maybe half a mile from this location that was found alive, emaciated, which is extremely skinny, in two garbage bags. It was found by two girls riding their horses and we, unfortunately, weren't able to find that person," said Deputy Carrie Nastansky.