Necropsy: 11 animals skinned in Pa. may be foxes

Necropsies performed Monday show that at least one was killed by buckshot and the others may have been trapped, a Lehigh County Humane Society official said.

DNA testing to confirm the species will take several weeks, but the eye sockets and teeth suggest they are adult foxes, humane society shelter manager Cary Moran said late Monday afternoon.

Fox hunting is legal in Pennsylvania from October through February, according to the state game commission website.

Moran was relieved to learn the animals were not domesticated dogs but was still concerned about the discovery, given that legitimate hunters would properly dispose of their kill. Her agency is still investigating the death of a larger animal found skinned, with its feet cut off and rope tied to one leg, a week earlier in Lynn Township, about 20 miles away.

Unless a witness comes forward, it's usually difficult to make arrests in animal cruelty cases, authorities said. And that means the person's motive for leaving the animals there remains unclear.