Birds Abandoned On Suffolk Parkway, 1 Killed By Car: Suffolk SPCA

MELVILLE, NY — The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever abandoned birds on the Northern State Parkway on Saturday, according to a news release. One bird was killed following the abandonment, the Suffolk SPCA said.

An animal rescuer was driving eastbound on the Northern State Parkway just past exit 40 in Melville at 12:15 p.m. Saturday when a man in a silver SUV was seen walking from his car to the woods with a cage in his hand, the Suffolk SPCA said. Other rescuers arrived and found a small white birdcage with the top off as well as a large bottom part to a big cage with bird food on it, as well as pieces of a dismantled cage on the ground, officials said.

Rescuers heard parrots and possibly love birds "screaming" in distress, and they saw several birds flying in the trees nearby, the Suffolk SPCA said. One flew close enough to a rescuer, who reached for it and placed it back in the cage, authorities said. Additional rescuers arrived with cages and nets to help.

One bird was struck and killed by a car on the parkway, the Suffolk SPCA said. The rescuers managed to bring four more birds back to safety inside the cage, officials said.

No other birds were found the next day, and the food in the cage was not touched, rescuers said.

Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA, said animal cruelty will not be tolerated in the county. Abandonment of animals is a misdemeanor punishable by one year in prison and/or a fine of $1,000 maximum, according to Gross.

Anyone with information on who may have dumped the birds is asked to call the Suffolk SPCA at 631-382-7722.