UPDATE: Animals Found on Hutch Were Likely Euthanized

Update, Friday 11:30 a.m.: 

The is collaborating with Westchester County in the investigation of the deaths of the 35 animals (26 cats, eight dogs and one lizard) found yesterday morning near the entrance of the Hutchinson River Parkway in Harrison.

"We brought five of the animals for necropsies and we believe what happened based on that is that these animals were euthanized," said Officer Ernest Lungaro, director of Humane Law Enforcement for the SPCA.

Lungaro said investigators do not believe "it was a hoarding situation," but rather, "pet owners brought their animals to a facility that euthanized them."

Then, it is believed "that facility improperly dumped these animals."

Tips have been coming in and are being investigated, Lungaro said.

Patricia Coleman, animal control officer for the Town of Clarkstown, said she frequently must cope with injured or dead animals.

She's seen a lot in her years in the job, but even she was shocked by Thursday's discovery.

"I was horrified that people could do something like this," said Coleman. She's heard of similiar occurances in the southern part of the United States, but not in suburban New York.

Dr. Brian Green of the Sleepy Hollow Animal Hospital was also shocked when he learned of the gruesome discovery, which included finding bodies of cats, dogs and even a Monitor Lizard.

"From what I've read and heard the conditions appear such that much of them were healthy," said Green of the . "They were in some sort of really bad kill shelter, which is extra unlikely, or someone was trying to sell these animals and couldn't."

Green said he was particularly disturbed that police suspect the dumping has been going on for some time.

"I've heard they will be conducting necropsies on the animals to find out the cause of death but I'm not sure what that will do," Green said. "There's so little known. It's pretty gruesome."

Coleman said she suspects that the animals may have been dumped by a contractor paid by veterinarians to bring deceased animals to a crematorium. Coleman theorized that the contractor may have simply dumped the bodies and pocketed the money that would have been paid to have the animals cremated.

While she does not think investigators will have much luck tracking the dumpers through the remains of the cats and dogs, Coleman said the discovery of the lizard's body is unique and could possibly be the best clue for Westchester County police.

Brian Bradshaw, operations manager at Hi Tor Animal Care Center in Pomona, said he has never seen anything like this dumping incident before.

"If something like this happens, animal shelters will reach out local animal control and nearby shelters," Bradshaw said. "They can help piece clues together."

If you have a tip, call 1-800-898-8477 or email tips@wccops.com. The SPCA also has a 24-hour animal abuse hotline: 914-941-7797.

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The remains of approximately 30 dogs and cats and a domestic lizard were found abandoned on the side of an entrance ramp to the Hutchinson River Parkway Thursday morning in Harrison, police said.

The dead animals were discovered by transportation maintenance officials at about 9:15 a.m on the northbound entrance to the parkway from Westchester Avenue's westbound lane. Police say the animals were inside of about 20 different garbage bags.

The area is being treated as a crime scene, said Sergeant Edward Reich of the Westchester County General Investigations Unit.

It is likely the animals were dumped at different times, as the remains had various levels of decomposition. The placement of the bags also varied, leaving police to believe whoever dumped the animals did so on several different occasions.

"It could have been anywhere from up to a year to today," said Reich. "Some had been in that location for a long time because they already had over brush."

Each of the bags were found only a few feet from the road in an 80-foot area.

"It's hard to tell if they were thrown from a moving car, it looks like they were placed there," Reich said.

The lizard found is a monitor lizard, an animal native to Africa and Southeast Asia, but domesticated in the United States.

Police don't know how the animals died, they are conducting necropsies—animal autopsies—on five of the more recently deceased animals in an effort to find out, Reich said.

Westchester County Police are investigating the incident along with the SPCA.

Anyone with any information about the incident is urged to call 1-800-898-8477 or email tips@wccops.com.