TIFTON — The Tift County Sheriff’s Office and the state Department of Natural Resources are investigating after several animals were found dead at a local wildlife rehabilitation center. DNR game wardens received a report Jan. 26 at approximately 4 p.m. that a number of animals had been discovered deceased at the Steadfast Wildlife Rehab in Tifton, an animal rescue that takes in and rehabilitates injured wildlife and releases them back into the wild. Wardens, along with deputies from the Tift County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene, discovering a total of nine deceased animals: an emu and two turkeys, which are considered domestic animals, and six wildlife, consisting of five whitetail deer and a Canada goose. The two agencies are jointly investigating the incident, but only the deceased wildlife will fall under the DNR’s purview. DNR officials estimate the investigation will take several weeks, but have asserted they are committed to conducting a thorough investigation and bringing charges against whoever killed the animals.