Sheriff's deputies seized 18 dead frozen puppies Friday from a home in rural Oregon that investigators believe were used to feed the homeowner's pet snakes, authorities said.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant last week for the property north of Portland after the agency was tipped off about a resident freezing litters of puppies for snake food, according to a news release.

The frozen bodies of the 18 puppies investigators found during the search were transported to the Oregon Humane Society to determine how the animals died, the sheriff's office said.

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One snake turned over to wildlife department

The search took place Friday at a rural property in Goble, an unincorporated community 40 miles north of Portland.

Investigators also reported finding several snakes at the home, one of which was turned over to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. It was unclear why just one snake was seized and what has since become of it.

USA TODAY left a message Monday morning with the wildlife department that was not immediately returned.

The humane society also did not immediately return a message to USA TODAY seeking information on whether a cause of death has since been determined.

District attorney to consider charges

The sheriff's office did not announce any arrests in its news release and did not immediately return USA TODAY's message Monday seeking any updates on the investigation.

A spokesperson for the sheriff's office told KOIN that the Columbia County District Attorney Joshua Pond's office is considering charges.

USA TODAY left a message Monday morning for Pond that was not immediately returned.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

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