Two pit bulls were discovered dead inside a crate Monday evening behind 19 Davis Ave. in Port Washington, next door to North Shore Animal League America.
A spokeswoman for the league said the dogs were not found on its property and the group cannot comment as the crime is under investigation.
One of the dogs was a gray and black male and the other was a tan female. They were both approximately three years old and weigh 60 to 70 pounds each.
The Nassau County district attorney’s office and the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) are seeking information about the deaths.
“Crimes against defenseless animals are heartbreaking and we need the public’s help in discovering how these dogs died and who left them near the Animal League facility,” District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “We will not tolerate animal cruelty and neglect in Nassau County.”
The investigation is ongoing and the causes of death have not been determined, Miriam Sholder, the deputy communications director for the district attorney, said. The necropsies will take about a week, Sholder added.
The SPCA is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for the animals’ deaths.
“Someone callously left two young dogs dead and in a crate,” SPCA President Gary Rogers said. “We are asking the public for help in identifying who abandoned these animals and how they died.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the district attorney’s tip line at 516-571-7755 or the SPCA at 516-THE-SPCA.
