Neighbors near Lake Carmel are on edge after a gruesome roadside discovery. On Monday, March 16, two white garbage bags and a cardboard box filled with mutilated animal remains were found near the water. Putnam County SPCA detectives recovered the bodies of seven animals, including chickens, roosters and doves, all of which appeared to have been decapitated and severely mutilated. The chilling find has renewed fears in the lakeside community and kicked off an active animal cruelty investigation.
Detectives were called to Route 52 near Lake Carmel in the Town of Kent, where the bags had been dumped in a grassy area between a commercial property and the shoreline. Inside, authorities say they found the remains of seven headless animals, each showing signs of extreme mutilation. Investigators are appealing to the public for help and note that tipsters can stay confidential, according to Daily Voice.
Not the first grim discovery near the lake
This is not the first time Lake Carmel has been the scene of something out of a true-crime script. In April 2025, a large black bag was found floating in the lake. Inside, investigators discovered a rooster and a pigeon that a veterinarian determined had been drained of blood, and detectives also recovered items described as possible ritual artifacts. Those details raised concerns that the incidents could be linked, according to Patch.
Reward and ongoing probe
Officials had already put up reward money after mutilated birds were found along Holland Drive in October 2025, and the New York State Humane Association later increased that amount as the SPCA kept digging into the case. Authorities say they are still working to determine whether the latest discovery is connected to those earlier incidents, and they are again urging anyone with information to come forward. More on the earlier reward and investigation is available from Daily Voice.
How to report tips
Anyone with information is asked to call the Putnam County SPCA 24-hour cruelty hotline at 845-520-6915. Callers can remain anonymous. The SPCA is a county-certified law-enforcement agency authorized to investigate animal cruelty in Putnam County, per the Putnam County SPCA.
