Turtle Dies After Being Found Tethered Underwater In Deer Park; $3K Reward Offered

DEER PARK, NY — A turtle rescued after being found tethered inside a cage and submerged in a Deer Park lake has died, and the reward for information leading to whoever was responsible has increased to $3,000, the Suffolk County SPCA said Tuesday.

Town of Babylon park rangers rescued the yellow-bellied slider from Geiger Park Lake at about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 23 after they were initially responding to a complaint about numerous e-bikes in the park, according to the SPCA.

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While responding, the rangers were alerted to a turtle trapped inside a cage that had been secured with zip ties and submerged underwater.

When the rangers pulled the cage from the lake, they discovered the turtle had a fishhook lodged in its mouth and had been tethered inside the enclosure, preventing it from escaping, the SPCA said.

The turtle was taken to West Islip Veterinary Hospital for emergency evaluation and medical treatment.

Suffolk County SPCA Chief Roy Gross previously told Patch the animal was a yellow-bellied slider, a species not native to Long Island that he believed was likely purchased as a pet.

Gross said investigators believed whoever tethered the turtle and placed it underwater intended to kill it. He also said at the time that he had never encountered a case like it in his years serving as chief of the Suffolk County SPCA.

The turtle had initially survived the ordeal and was described by Gross as "lively" following its rescue. The SPCA announced Monday that the turtle has since died.

The organization did not specify in its release when the turtle died or what caused its death.

Gross is urging anyone with information to come forward.

Pat Valusek, chairperson of the New York State Humane Association, also condemned the incident.

"The New York State Humane Association supports the efforts of the Suffolk County SPCA to find those responsible for inflicting such awful cruelty on this poor turtle resulting in its death," Valusek said.

The Suffolk County SPCA initially offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible. That reward has now increased to $3,000.

Anyone who may have witnessed suspicious activity around Geiger Park Lake or has information about the incident is urged to call the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722. All calls will be kept confidential.

The Suffolk County SPCA reminded the public that animal cruelty is a serious crime and encouraged anyone who witnesses or suspects abuse to report it.

No arrest has been announced.