$5,000 Reward Offered in Case of Three Dogs Found Dead in Cortland County

For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2026

Contact:
Sara Groves 202-483-7382

PETA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction on cruelty-to-animals charges of the person(s) responsible for the suffering and deaths of three dogs found off Sweeney Hill Road on April 4. The dogs were severely malnourished and showed signs of multiple injuries.

Deputies with the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of suspected cruelty to animals on April 4 and discovered the dogs—a female hound who was white with brown and tan markings, a male who was all white, and a second male who was white with brown and tan markings—dead on the side of the road. The sheriff’s office is actively seeking information about the dogs’ guardians and is being assisted by a local animal shelter. According to the investigator, necropsy results indicate that the dogs sustained gunshot wounds and were severely emaciated when they died. The investigation remains ongoing.

“These three dogs were starving, in pain, and likely terrified before being dumped like garbage, and those responsible must be prosecuted and prevented from ever having animals again,” says PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA urges anyone with information to come forward, and reminds everyone to always report animal abuse and neglect.”

Anyone with information about the dogs or their owners is urged to contact the Cortland County Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at 607‑758‑6151 or submit a tip through the department’s website at cortlandcountysheriffny.gov.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kitsfor people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.