Animal welfare authorities in West Virginia are hoping avoid euthanizing three special needs horses seized during a crime investigation by finding permanent homes for the animals.

Tom Zielinsky, executive director of the Hancock County, W.Va., Office of Technology and Communications, said that the three horses were among nine equines seized this past spring by county law enforcement authorities in connection with an illegal drug investigation case. The horses’ owners later relinquished the animals to the county, he said. No further details about the drug case were available.

Since the seizure, six horses have been adopted by the families that provided foster care while the investigation was under way, Zielinsky said. The three horses remain in the care of county animal welfare officials, he said.

"Some of the horses were in pretty bad shape when they were seized," Zielinsky said. "These three were in especially bad shape