Mastic pet shop owner finds dead pit bulls in dumpster

A pet shop owner found two dead pit bulls in a dumpster behind his store in Mastic Tuesday, police said. The dogs appeared to have been abused, according to authorities.

Suffolk County police said the carcasses were found in a dumpster outside the Animal Hut, a reptile shop on Montauk Highway in Mastic Tuesday.

Suffolk County SPCA chief Roy Gross described the two dogs as “young” — and said they appeared to have died from what he termed “severe neglect.” Gross said the SPCA is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person — or persons — responsible for what he called in a statement as an “act of cruelty.”

Police said the case remains under investigation. Calls to the shop went unanswered early Wednesday.