Someone dumped a litter of five malnourished puppies and two dead dogs outside of the Dayton Humane Society in Ohio on Tuesday morning.

According to WDTN, officials at the Humane Society of Greater Dayton believe that the deceased dogs were already dead when they were dumped there overnight. They said that there were wounds on their faces and one had a cord wrapped around its neck. It is unclear why the dead dogs were dumped there at all.

“It could be any number of reasons,” says Humane Agent Sheila Marquis. “They don’t know what to do with them. It could be a statement.”

Either way, it is illegal to just dump any animal at a shelter. Authorities are asking anyone with information about who may have done this to contact police.

As for the five tiny pit bull mixed pups, the New York Daily News noted that will need a few weeks of care to recover from the abuse they suffered, but will then be looking for permanent or foster homes.

If you would like to inquire about adoption, call the shelter or visit the Humane Society’s website.