Walla Walla couple faces charges for illegal wildlife trafficking and taxidermy
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA COUNTY – Two Walla Walla residents are facing multiple criminal charges after state wildlife officials uncovered an illegal “sanctuary” and unlicensed taxidermy business operating out of a College Place apartment filled with decaying animal remains.
Austen Dean Devaney, 20, and Benjamin William Tucker Read, 22, are facing multiple counts including second-degree and third-degree theft; first-degree unlawful trafficking in fish, shellfish, or wildlife; engaging in commercial wildlife activity without a license; and engaging in wildlife rehabilitation without a license.
The investigation by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) began in April 2025 following reports that the pair, operating as “Feathers and Scales Sanctuary,” were rehabilitating animals without permits. Under the name “Osteo-Artistry,” they also allegedly solicited taxidermy clients and sold illegal specimens at local vendor events.
According to a probable cause statement, a search warrant served at the couple’s College Place apartment revealed “unbearable” conditions. Officers found filth, animal feces, and a freezer packed with carcasses, including a cougar, a red-tailed hawk, a great horned owl, and multiple otters. None of the specimens were accompanied by the legal documentation required by state law.
WDFW Officer Jessie Kunz-Pfeiffer reported that the pair attempted to barter a mountain goat hide for $1,500 last May at Spring Fling, a local vendor event at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds and successfully traded an African lion skull valued at $400 to an oddities shop in Spokane. State law strictly prohibits the commercial sale of lion parts.
The couple is also facing theft charges for allegedly taking hundreds of dollars in deposits from customers for taxidermy work that was never completed. WDFW officials confirmed neither suspect holds the required state or federal permits for wildlife rehabilitation or taxidermy.
Charges have been referred to prosecutors in both Walla Walla and Spokane counties.
Both defendants entered a not guilty pleas at their arraignment Tuesday afternoon in Walla County Superior Court. Judge Brandon Johnson set their trials to begin on April 13.
