VERNON, Ind. — Authorities say a dozen dead dogs were found dumped in a wooded area of southern Indiana.
Jennings County Animal Control officials met with sheriff's department detectives this week about the dogs, which were found near a roadway by a motorist driving through Columbia Township on Feb. 28.
Investigators say they were told the dead dogs weren't there the previous day.
According to the Jennings County Sheriff's Department, the dogs included an adult female brindle and white Pitbull, an adult female Beagle mix which had recently given birth, a mature brown female Boxer, 7 puppies that were about 4-5 months old, and two puppies that were approximately 1-2 weeks old.
"What's so disheartening is there's other options than killing your animals. We have an animal control, an emergency rescue and other places that will take the dogs in,” said Chief Deputy David Turner.
He says the sheriff's office investigation is too new to call the dog's deaths a criminal act, but he's looking into it. He wants to talk to the owner or owners to determine if the dogs were in poor health or emaciated. But, what he does know is how they likely died – all were shot with a pellet rifle.
"If it's their own dog and if it's not a case of cruelty, and let's say the dogs were malnourished, there might be legal reasons to do that. But, we don't feel with 12 that's case,” he said.
The dogs were found on CR 740 East, south of CR 1000 North in Columbia Township.
Anyone with information about the dogs is asked to call the Jennings County Sheriff's Office tip line at (812) 346-0342.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.