Bag of decapitated goats found on Long Island

Watch your appetite: A big plastic bag of goat torsos was found in Long Island.

Three beheaded goats were dumped in a wooded area by the Otis Pike Preserve in Riverhead, New York, on Tuesday, said authorities. They are investigating if the killings were ritualistic.

The Suffolk County SPCA was called in to investigate. In addition to the decapitated goats was a mix of fruits and vegetables. They offered a $1000 reward for any information that would lead to an eventual arrest.

This is not the first time New York has been graced with horrifying dismembered animal parts.

In March 2014 a severed goat head was found in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, park officials reported.

One year later, a woman found another baby goat head in Dr. Ronald McNair Park in Prospect Heights, according to DNAinfo.

From 2010 to 2014, there were 33 animal parts found and reported to the NY Parks and Recreation Department according to the organization’s data, which was released after a FOIL request by New York Magazine.

Goats were the most discovered with ten cases reported. Chickens and other birds were both found in five cases. Pigs and unknown animals were reported in two and three cases, respectively. Roosters, dogs, cats, squirrels and even a baby cow were all listed as being found once.

This report included findings such as a “small bird under a bench” meaning that every report may not have been foul play, but just an accident or natural causes.

“Animal sacrifices happen in every state,” said Marcos Quinones, an occult and black magic specialist, when he spoke to USA Today about animal killings.

The ritual could be apart of a few different ideologies. Palo Mayombre is a so-called black magic that combines Congo area practices and Cuban traditions. Santeria, another ideology that utilizes ritualistic killings, is a mix of West African, Roman Catholic and Caribbean practices. Satanism is also known to utilize ritual killings.

In response to a case about a bag of dead cats, Quinones said that while it could be one of the above beliefs, it could always just be “someone who wanted to rid of cats.” There is no guarantee that animal killing is always ritualistic in nature

If you have information about animal killings call the SPCA’s anonymous Animal Cruelty Hotline at 914-941-7797.