Flathead County animal control officers are investigating the deaths of five puppies found drowned in the Flathead River west of Bigfork.
Three puppies were found Monday wrapped in a bedsheet while two others had been found in the same area days earlier.
Animal control officer Paul Charbonneau says he believes the days-old puppies were part of the same litter.
This is the second time that a litter of puppies has been drowned and disposed of in the Flathead Valley in a span of less than three weeks.
A litter of 12 was drowned and put into a trash bin in Somers on Aug. 21. Two of the puppies survived after someone heard them squealing. John L. Heine was charged with 12 counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals in that case.