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All information available through C.D.T is public information All persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. For more detailed information of cases please visit www.pet-abuse.com  Plead deal ends Green Bay Dog Fighting Case                                       Dog Fighting, 129 Dogs Mulberry FL  GREEN BAY, Wis. - A man accused of staging dog fights at his home faces sentencing in June after reaching a plea deal rather than go to trial Friday. Ngia Vang, 45, of Green Bay entered an Alford plea to one count of instigating animal fights, and a second count was dismissed. In that type of plea, a defendant maintains his innocence but concedes the evidence is sufficient for a conviction. The charges were filed in November after police and an animal control officer found that Vang's basement had blood-spattered drywall, duct tape, collars and sticks for prying dogs' mouths open. Animal Control Officer Sharon Hensen had samples of the blood analyzed, and the results showed it came from one of Vang's dogs and half a dozen other dogs. "For there to be blood on the walls from five to seven dogs could only point to one thing," Hensen said. As part of the plea bargain, prosecutors recommended a probationary sentence of just over three years and 30 days in jail. They said Vang should be barred from having dogs for five years and also should be required to pay restitution for costs of housing his pit bulls and doing DNA testing on the blood. Defense lawyer Mark Skvara said he would ask for a two-year term of probation when Vang is sentenced June 2. He said Vang's plea applied only to part of the law that refers to maintaining a place where animals fought. But Brown County Assistant District Attorney Tom Coaty said any part of dog fighting is reprehensible. "To use puppies as bait animals, to wager so dogs can fight and inflict pain for the pleasure of the spectators, is barbaric," Coaty said. Skvara said Vang is not a U.S. citizen, has nine children and could face deportation in addition to the other penalties. Hensen led the investigation, which started in July 2004, and was glad to see it end with a conviction. "It was a long time coming," she said. Source:www.duluthsuperior.com Second Story: Vang faces jail for instigating animal brawls in his home A man accused of holding dog fights in his South Broadway home entered an Alford plea and was found guilty Friday of felony instigating fights between animals, scuttling a court trial set to begin that day. In entering an Alford plea, Ngia Vang, 45, maintains his innocence but concedes there is enough evidence to garner a conviction. He was charged in November with two counts of instigating animal fights after police and Green Bay's animal control officer found blood-spattered drywall, collars, duct tape and sticks used to pry dogs' mouths open in the basement of Vang's home. One of the counts against Vang was dismissed as part of a plea bargain, which also included prosecutors' recommendation for 3½ years probation and a 30-day jail stint. Vang's lawyer, Mark Skvara, said he plans to ask at the June 2 sentencing hearing for a 2-year probation term. "We had conversations with the district attorney's office, took a look at all the evidence and based on what was offered to us … we decided to move forward," Skvara said. "The basis for the Alford plea was purely strategic on our part." In laying out the specifics of the plea, Skvara said Vang was entering a plea to maintaining a place where animals fought, which refers to a specific section of the animal fighting statute. Brown County Assistant District Attorney Tom Coaty said any connection to dog fighting is reprehensible. "To use puppies as bait animals, to wager so dogs can fight and inflict pain for the pleasure of the spectators, is barbaric," Coaty said. Skvara said Vang could face deportation in addition to probation and jail time. "My client has nine kids and certainly has the status that he could be deported," Skvara said, noting that Vang is not a United States citizen. As part of probation, prosecutors are asking that Vang not be allowed to have any dogs for five years and that the three dogs seized during this case would not be returned to him. Coaty said prosecutors want Vang to pay restitution for the money spent to house Vang's pit bulls and for DNA testing conducted on blood found at the scene. Animal Control Officer Sharon Hensen had blood samples from the basement analyzed and found that, in addition to blood from one of Vang's dogs, there were blood spatter contributions from a half-dozen other dogs. "For there to be blood on the walls from five to seven dogs could only point to one thing," said Hensen, who spearheaded the Vang investigation, which began in July 2004. Hensen was glad to hear the case had resolved with a conviction. "It was a long time coming," she said. SOURCE:http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com                                   Second Update:4.5.2006 On April 5, 2006, after a half day final civil trial, Polk County County Court Judge Selph awarded all the animals in the above referenced case to the custody and care of the Polk County Sheriff's Office and entered a permanent injunction to prevent Hewitt Grant from possessing any animals in the future. The Judge also awarded over $3800 in costs of care for the animals to be paid within 90 days. This was the civil case and David S. Bergdoll of the Polk County Sheriff's Office was the attorney assigned to handle it. The criminal case is pending and will be coming to trial soon, with Assistant State Attorney Autumn Burgess is handling that case. First UPDATE:1.28.2006: Polk County Animal Control workers have euthanized 43 of the 139 dogs seized last week after a Mulberry man was charged with breeding the animals to fight, the Sheriff's Office said. Hewitt Grant has been charged with 19 counts of felony animal cruelty and more than 50 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. Grant posted $47,000 bail and was released Saturday, according to jail records. 'DEPLORABLE' CONDITIONS Deputies Find 136 Abused Dogs Hewitt Grant of Mulberry arrested on cruelty, dog fighting-related charges. By Dana Willhoit The Ledger MULBERRY -- Sheriff's deputies found 136 malnourished dogs on the property of a Mulberry man Thursday, along with evidence that the dogs had been abused and trained to fight. What deputies did not find anywhere on the property was a single morsel of dog food, Polk County Sheriff's Capt. Dennis Russell said. Many of the dogs, which were confined in cages or chained to stakes, did not have water available to them either. An initial check of the dogs found 13 in such bad shape that they will be euthanized and that most of the dogs were pit bulls, sheriff's officials said. Hewitt Grant, 38, of 2335 Pump Road, was charged with one felony count of maintaining and owning equipment and dogs for baiting or fighting and 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. A veterinarian was on the property Thursday night checking the animals one by one, and more charges could be filed, sheriff's spokeswoman Carrie Rodgers said. Grant was using what the Sheriff's Office called "cat mills" to train the dogs to be aggressive, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The cat mills are devices in which a live animal is placed just out of reach of a chained dog to train the dog to be aggressive. Two cat mills with the remains of small animals were found on the property, deputies said. Grant had been living in a mobile home at the end of Pump Road, a rural road southwest of Mulberry with a few small homes scattered among empty lots and clusters of orange trees. The dogs were kept far back on the property behind thick clusters of trees, and the nearest neighbors said they had no idea there were that many animals, or that the animals were neglected. A loud chorus of barks and wails could be heard on the property as deputies and animal control workers walked among the dogs, feeding them and checking their condition. The end of the street was blocked off with yellow crime scene tape, and curious neighbors gathered there. They gasped when sheriff's deputies bought out an emaciated, terrified pit bull covered in sores and scars. The fur on the dog's neck was worn off, leaving pink scar tissue, and he was so thin the knobs of his spine jutted out. His ears were bloody stumps that appeared to have been chewed. But he was timid rather than aggressive, cringing against an animal control officer's legs and licking her face when she bent down to pet him. He should weigh about 50 pounds, but weighed about 30, the officer said. When next-door neighbor Thelma Mitchell saw the dog, she gasped "Oh, Jesus," and ran back to her house. Mitchell knew dogs were being kept on the property, but said she was shocked by the number of animals and their condition. The dogs remained on the property Thursday night, with a deputy guarding them so the investigation can continue this morning. Sheriff's officials said late Thursday it appeared that 71 dogs will be taken to the county animal control facility for medical treatment. The remaining dogs will be kept on the property temporarily. Reporters weren't given access to the area where the dogs were being kept, but Capt. Russell said most of the animals were in very poor shape. "The conditions are deplorable," he said. "I'm very saddened by it. It hurts me personally," said Russell, who owns five dogs, four of them adopted from the Polk County Animal Shelter. Hewitt was taken to the Polk County Jail, where he was held Thursday night. Bail information was not available. He has several previous arrests, including charges of carrying a concealed weapon and another for contempt of court. Information about the disposition of those charges wasn't available late Thursday. Source:The Ledger 1.27.2006   Pit Bull seized, possible International Dog fighting Ring                                             21 arrested in Cock Fighting Georgia THURSDAY 20/04/2006 18:09:06 *Updates* Pit bull dog seized in Co Tyrone The USPCA has seized a pitbull dog in County Tyrone and claim it was involved in an international dog fighting ring. The dog was found at the home of Tyrone GAA footballer and All Ireland medal winner Ger Cavlan The animal was seized following an undercover operation mounted by USPCA officers following a tip off. Cannonball travelled on a canine passport from Helsinki to Frankfurt and then onto Dublin before being taken to Dungannon last night. It was then the USPCA officers intervened by searching Ger Cavlan`s house. There were three other dogs in the house but because the officers felt it was too dangerous to move them an arrangement was made to collect them today. Other items seized included detailed diet sheets for dogs, training manuals and a year book. The year book is a who`s who in the world of dog fighting including details of fights, some lasting more than two and a half hours, that have taken place locally. This evening Ger Gavlan`s solicitor, Christopher Rafferty, issued a statement on his client`s behalf. He said: "Gerard does keep and own dogs. He did not own any of the dogs in question, they were pups. He certainly did not own the dog that was seized. "There were a number of items taken from his house. However, they were not his. He has not been charged with anything, nor has he been interviewed by the police in relation to this." The police have said their inquiries are continuing into the matter. Cannonball has been taken to a location outside Northern Ireland and his fighting days over, but in all probability he will soon be destroyed. SECOND STORY:Pit bull seized at GAA man's home A pit bull terrier which the USPCA believes was involved in dog fighting has been seized from the home of a County Tyrone sportsman. A solicitor for Tyrone GAA player Ger Cavlan confirmed that the animal was removed from his house in Dungannon on Wednesday night. The animal charity said the dog had been tracked on flights from Finland through Frankfurt and then into Dublin. The house search was carried out by police and the USPCA. A number of other items were also seized during the operation. The USPCA said a vet had examined the male dog and found its injuries were consistent with wounds inflicted during dog fighting. The dog arrived in Dublin travelling on a pet passport, which said the dog's name was Cannonball and its owner was in Finland. The USPCA also said documents relating to dog fighting had been found at Mr Cavlan's home. The charity's Stephen Philpot said: "We decided to seize the dog due to facial injuries it had. "Our vets have confirmed for us that this is an animal which they would class as a fighting dog under the terms of the Dangerous Dog Act. "They've also confirmed the animal has injuries to its face, throat and ears and teeth, which would suggest those injuries are consistent with a dog used in organised dog fighting." The USPCA has said they are also extremely concerned about the safety of three other pit bulls which they believe had been in the house. In a statement, Mr Cavlan's solicitor, Christopher Rafferty, said the dog did not belong to his client and he was only looking after it. He added that dog-fighting was a sport which Mr Cavlan did not condone and did not participate in. He also said Mr Cavlan had not been charged, interviewed, nor asked to comment by the police. It has been illegal to own pit bull terriers in Northern Ireland since 1976 as they are a proscribed breed under the Dangerous Dogs Act. However, it is still legal to keep the breed in the Republic of Ireland. Source:BBC Updated :Tyrone footballer denies involvement in dog-fighting 21/04/2006 - 11:07:49 Tyrone footballer Ger Cavlan has denied any involvement in dog-fighting following the seizure of an illegal pit-bull terrier at his home in Dungannon earlier this week. The USPCA seized the dog on Wednesday, saying it was involved in an international dog-fighting ring. It also said it returned to Mr Cavlan's home yesterday to take away three more dogs and equipment used to train the animals for fighting. However, the dogs and equipment had already been removed. Pit-bulls are illegal in the North and the one seized had arrived from Finland, via Germany and Dublin Airport. Mr Cavlan's solicitor, however, says that, although his client does keep dogs, he did not own the pit-bull or the training gear and had not been charged with any offence. Source:http://www.eveningecho GAA star silent over pit bull terrier seizure USPCA claim dog-fighting link By Linda McKee 21 April 2006 Tyrone GAA star Gerard Cavlan today remained silent following the seizure of a pit bull terrier at his Dungannon home. Yesterday Mr Cavlan's solicitor rejected suggestions that his client is involved in an international dog-fighting ring. USPCA officials said that they had seized 'Cannonball', an injured pit bull terrier, from the footballer's home in a joint operation with police in Dungannon on Wednesday night. Early this morning no one was answering the door at Mr Cavlan's home at upmarket Willow Gardens development, in Dungannon. In an area where Gaelic football is one of the most popular pastimes, neighbours were reluctant to discuss recent activities at the Tyrone player's house. One said she was a friend of Mr Cavlan and would not be commenting. Another said the media should mind their own business. Mr Cavlan's solicitor confirmed that a pit bull had been seized from the house, but said it did not belong to the Tyrone player. He said Mr Cavlan was looking after the animal and expressed concern that the search had been carried out without a warrant. USPCA chief executive Stephen Philpott said the pit bull terrier - illegal in the UK under the Dangerous Dogs Act - was tracked on flights from Finland through Frankfurt into Dublin Airport, and a major Irish surveillance operation traced its transit from there to Mr Cavlan's home. "The pit bull, fighting name 'Cannonball', was seized together with its passport," he said. "In the light of recent injuries showing on the animal, a USPCA vet carried out an examination and considers them as consistent with injuries inflicted in dog fighting." Mr Philpott appeal for the whereabouts of three more pit bull terriers and treadmill-type conditioning equipment. He said the police have visited further premises in Dungannon as a result of information uncovered in the overnight searches. "The USPCA is aware of a number of Northern Ireland based pit bulls using Dublin as an entry/exit point to an from Europe. The breed is not illegal in the Republic and the airport is readily accessible from the north," he said. Police confirmed that they had liaised with USPCA officers in Dungannon on Wednesday evening. A PSNI spokesman said: "Premises were entered by the USPCA under the Welfare of Dogs Act, where a dog was seized along with a number of items. Inquiries are continuing." Mr Cavlan's solicitor Christopher Rafferty confirmed that a pit bull terrier had been seized. He had no information on other dogs or treadmill equipment. "I can confirm that a pitbull was seized. It wasn't Mr Cavlan's and the dogs there didn't belong to Mr Cavlan," he said. "He does keep dogs which he breeds. He would keep a variety of terriers, hounds and Staffordshire bull terriers." Mr Rafferty said he had no information on who owned Cannonball but insisted that Mr Cavlan had simply been looking after the dog for a number of days. "It wasn't Gerard Cavlan's and it's my understanding that the documentation will support that," he said. "There wasn't a warrant issued for the search and that may invalidate the search and we have considerable concerns about that." Mr Rafferty said Mr Cavlan had not been arrested or interviewed by police. Source:http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk                                    (Omega, Georgia-AP) April 18, 2006 Authorities arrest 21 after raid on Georgia cock-fighting arena Authorities in south Georgia have arrested 21 men after raiding a cock-fighting arena near a farm in rural Tift County. Tift County Animal Control moved in after the raid just after noon Sunday to recover dozens of the birds. The operation was headed by the Midsouth Narcotics Task Force, a new law enforcement group composed of sheriff's deputies from Tift, Turner and Crisp counties. Animal Control Director Regenia Wells says workers seized 41 birds, found nine dead and two so badly injured they had to be euthanized. The 21 men were only a portion of the crowd that authorities say gathered to watch the fowl duel to the death. The crowd was estimated to be more than 100 strong, but many escaped capture by law enforcement officers. The arena was set up in a barn behind a house between Omega and Excelsior. The property is the home of 72-year-old Marcus Bryant Webb, one of the men arrested. All 21 men are charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, that's a felony charge that carries a sentence of one to five years in prison. A Superior Court judge will determine what will become of the birds. Meanwhile, they are being housed at the Tift County Animal Shelter. Posted 8:28am    Minneapolis Man charged in Dog Fighting                                                                Second Pit Bull Terrier seized by USPCA Apr 22, 2006 (WCCO) Hennepin County prosecutors charged a Minneapolis man on Friday with one felony count for possession of fighting animals and/or participating in illegal dog fights. According to the criminal complaint, investigators visited the home of Wallace on March 27 and found three pit bulls with fresh and healing wounds on several parts of their bodies. A witness, Wallace's wife, told police she believed the dogs had been beaten. Wallace denied he used the animals for fights in an interview on March 29, saying his daughter was devastated that authorities took the animals from the home. According to the document, investigators found several items at the home they believe were used for training, including syringes, a bottle of horse supplement, a treadmill with scratch marks. They also found several documents detailing training routines, dog bloodlines, and dog fighting. Wallace has a previous animal fighting conviction from an incident in Chisago County, Minn. Bail was set at $20,000. If convicted, he faces up to $10,000 in fines and 5 years in prison. Source:http://wcco.com                                    22 April 2006 Second pit bull terrier seized by USPCA A second dog believed to be involved in illegal dog fighting has been seized in Dungannon by the USPCA, as part of an ongoing search for several other dogs that disappeared following an initial seizure on Wednesday. Raids were carried out at a number of premises in the Tyrone town yesterday by officials from the animal welfare charity in a joint operation with Dungannon Council and police. At one address an adult pit bull terrier was seized. Any possible link between this dog and Cannonball, the injured pit bull seized in the previous raid, is being investigated. Cannonball was tracked on flights from Finland through Frankfurt into Dublin Airport before being finally seized, together with its passport, at the home of Tyrone Gaelic footballer Gerard Cavlan in Dungannon on April 19. USPCA chief executive Stephen Philpott said at the time: "It is imperative that we rescue these dogs before they are subjected to the grotesque and sickening abuse involved in dog fighting." Source:www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk     Waterloo Man Gets probation for Dog Fighting                                                          Tallahassee FL man charged with Dog Fighting Tuesday, April 25, 2006 12:14 PM WATERLOO --- A Waterloo man has been given probation after he pleaded to dog fighting charges. Tyrone Jeremiah Thompson, 18, of 321 Edwards St., pleaded guilty to misdemeanor dog fighting and was sentenced to 120 days in jail, suspended to a year of probation. A $500 fine also was suspended. Authorities said Thompson was a spectator at a fight that happened outside his home in September.Police and Animal Control officers were called to the fight but didn't find any dogs in the area. They did locate fresh blood in front of Thompson's house, and Thompson said he knew about the fight and had watched it, court records state. Officers later discovered Thompson owned one of the dogs in the match. Animal Control officials said they see signs of illegal dog fighting locally, but it is difficult to make criminal cases because those involved are secretive. Thompson was the first of two dog fighting arrests in the past year. On April 4, Waterloo police arrested Walter Hoskins IV, 19, on felony dog fighting charges after they were called to Gates Park. Officers found Hoskins with a pit bull that had injuries to his head and face consistent with dog fighting, police said. His trial is scheduled for June 27. Source:http://www.wcfcourier.com                                    UPDATED: April26,2006 :Man charged with fighting pit bulls An alleged dog fighter was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of fighting animals and cruelty to animals. Jermichael Lindsey, 22, posted bail on Saturday and was released from jail. According to Tallahassee police, a pit bull puppy was found chained up outside of Lindsey's home at 716 Dover St. without food or water. Three other pit bulls were tied up with cinder blocks and chains in the backyard. These dogs each weighed between 38 and 45 pounds, police said. Two of the dogs looked injured and all of them lacked rabies tags. They were taken to the Animal Shelter. The injured dogs were examined at the Northwood Animal Hospital. One female pit bull had anemia, hookworms, scars, scabs and an infected wound under the left eye. It was also underweight by 12 pounds and pregnant, according to veterinarian Sondra Brown's report. According to previous records, this same pit bull was treated for a swollen muzzle, puncture wounds to its face and hindquarters and hemorrhaging. Another pit bull had old scars, new scabs and a gaping, 1-inch wound on the bottom of its left forepaw. The dog had anemia, dermatitis from fleas and heartworms, according to veterinarian Alicia Smith's report. Lindsey denied fighting the dogs, said Tammy Thompson of the Tallahassee Police Department, though witnesses have reported otherwise. Source:www.tallahassee.com ORG STORY: April 25, 2006 A man accused of sponsoring dog fights was arrested Friday and charged with two counts of fighting animals and cruelty to animals. Jermichael Lindsey, 22, posted bail Saturday. According to Tallahassee police, a pit bull puppy was found without food or water chained up outside Lindsey's home, 716 Dover Street. Three other pit bulls were tied up with cinder blocks and chains in the backyard. The dogs each weighed between 37.5 and 44.5 pounds, two looked injured and all of them lacked rabies tags. They were taken to the Animal Shelter Source:http://www.tallahassee.com TX, Police Shut down Dog Fighting Operation                                                            Drug Raid Turns Up Dogs used for Fights                  Update 5/1/2006 Judge: Seized Pit Bulls, Owner Will Not Be Reunited POSTED: 1:52 pm CDT May 1, 2006 SAN ANTONIO -- A municipal court judge ruled Monday that 14 pit bulls seized by Animal Care will not be returned to their owner. Faustino Villela, acting as his own lawyer during a hearing, tried to get the dogs back after they were taken by animal cruelty investigators April 25 at his West Side home. During the raid, Animal care officers found kennels, a homemade dog-fighting ring, a dog treadmill and muscle enhancing drugs for the animals. At one point during the hearing, Villela challenged an animal cruelty investigator, saying the dogs were pets and weren't being trained for fighting. But in the end, Municipal Court Judge Alfredo Tavera was not convinced the animals weren't being trained for fighting and ordered the animals to area animal shelters. In addition to losing his dogs, Villela must also reimburse the city $980 for boarding of the dogs. UPDATE:04/27/2006 12:00 AM "Dogfighting gear, 14 pit bulls found" San Antonio Express-News Police discovered 14 pit bulls, one with a cropped ear and what appeared to be battle scars, and dogfighting equipment at a West Side home Wednesday morning, an animal control investigator said. No arrests had been made, but Eddie Wright, animal control investigator for the city, said he expected some shortly. The 14 dogs were removed. Possession of animal fighting equipment is a state jail felony under a new state law. "This is quite unusual in the city," Wright said. "Most of the time it's on big farms and ranches. But sometimes people get overconfident." City officials initially were in the area of the 1100 block of Brady Street on an unrelated report of a vicious dog when they saw numerous pit bulls chained behind a back fence, Wright said. After obtaining consent from homeowners, they discovered the pit bulls and some breeding cages. They also found two treadmills, one that appeared to have been modified so dogs could use it for training. Authorities also reported finding body enhancement drugs, four speakers, six chairs, a dogfighting pit scattered with blood spots and a homemade device used to hold down an animal. Posted: 04/26/2006 07:55 PM Authorities have shut down what they believe was a dog-fighting ring on the South Side. Officers seized pit bulls, cages, chains and treadmills in the 1100 block of Brady Boulevard, and said that the yard was a training ground for bloodsport. "Get out of my back yard, 'cause it's none of their business. They're overreacting," said a female occupant of the residence. Officers dragged 14 pit bulls out of the back yard and into city cages. "We have a home made pit bull ring," animal cruelty investigator Eddie Wright said. "They are potentially either breeding animals or fighting the animals." Police said they had been dispatched to the house several times in the past for calls of too many animals. "And we came back for a follow-up investigation and nothing's changed," an unidentified officer said. On Wednesday, officers saw something that really caught their attention. "You have 14 dogs here. You have treadmills adapted to train animals. You have weight-gain medicine," the unidentified officer said. The officers called Animal Control for help. "We found the treadmills, the seats," Wright said. "Portable seats for fighting, the portable sides to a pit ring, and fluorescent lights over it." Meanwhile, the residents of the house watched as the officers carted things away. "That's my son's stuff. Oh my God," the unidentified female said. As of 2006, just having the training equipment is a Texas felony. "Because their only known purpose is to condition the dogs for fighting," Wright said. A total of 14 dogs were confiscated, and the information gathered by authorities will be handed over to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. Animal Control said that because it appears the dogs have been trained to fight, they may have to be euthanized. Source:www.mysanantonio.com                                    Apr 27, 2006 1:41 pm A drug raid at a Sacramento home turned up more than officers expected. Not only did they find drugs, they discovered five dogs they believe were used in illegal dog fights. The officers raided the home on Santa Cruz Way in Oak Park this morning. They say they found a variety of drugs. While narcotics officers were in the home, animal control officers captured the dogs. They rescued four pit bulls and a rottweiler. "These dogs are innocent. They don't know what's going on," Animal Control Officer James Seabrook told CBS 13, "They're just doing what they're trained to do." Seabrook says the dogs show signs they've been used in fights. One dog had gashes on his nose and legs. "These are battle scars. Those are from prior fights," said Seabrook. Seabrook says he goes on three or four calls for fight dogs each month. And Sacramento Police say more and more dog fights are happening mostly in areas known for drugs. "They're definitely not there to keep the kids company or be a member of the family." Sacramento Police Officer Chris Taylor told CBS 13, "Owners will wrap chains around their necks many, many times. The thing I've been told is that makes them stronger dogs." The dogs at this home were all chained to car axles that had been pounded into the ground in the backyard. The dogs also had little or no food or water. Police arrested two people in the home on drug charges. Source:http://cbs13.com/topstories  Two Indicted In Chesapeake Dog fighting Ring                                                        Local Dog Fight Ring Bust, Lansing MI May 4, 2006 06:50 PM ESTA Chesapeake Grand Jury has indicted two people for operating one of the largest dog fighting rings this city has seen in recent years. Alfred Taylor and Lisa Washington are both charged with felony dogfighting and conspiracy to commit dog fighting and Washington is charged with much, much more. Back in March police were called to 2745 Seven Eleven Road in Southern Chesapeake to investigate an assault. But according to court paper the officers say much more. They soon returned with a search warrant and confiscated illegal drugs and equipment to train dogs to fight. Animal control officers confiscated 17 dogs."Two of them had scarring and there body condition was dull hair and coats, brittle hair some were mildly thin," said animal control coordinator, Kathy Strouse. Neither Alfred Taylor or Lisa Washington were at home to respond to the long list of charges they're now facing. If found guilty Taylor and Washington are looking at as much as a decade behind bars. As for the 17 dogs, their fate would be a lot worse. "If you come in and adopt one of these dogs and your next door neighbor has a little yorkie or a beagle and one of those dogs eats through the fence and kills the yorkie or beagle, it's not going to be good. And we don't feel it's an appropriate risk for any community," Strouse said. In addition to the dog fighting charges, Washington is also facing marijuana and cocaine charges, as well as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Source:www.wtkr.com                                    Update at bottom:Three dogs rescued, the rest not so lucky after officers uncover a dog fighting ring. People who live near a house say it's a quiet neighborhood, but they didn't know what was going on behind the gate, and it involves drugs, guns and death. Ingham County Animal Control is now cleaning up a mess after a neighbor complained about barking dogs. Edgar Pops, neighbor: "I told 'em it was pitbulls running loose, and I'd like for them to get 'em off the street " But officers say the problem is much larger. Gary Ireland, Officer, Ingham County Animal Control: "When I impounded the two dogs, I started checking the other dog house, and when I come to this house over here, I found a dead dog inside." With four dead dogs and 3 alive, police and animal control are curious enough to look inside. Gary Ireland: "That's all blood, and when you see that in a basement area, specifically, we know that dogs have been fighting down here. There's a lot of money to be made for the people that supply the dogs and fight them." Officers say someone gave the dogs vitamins and antibiotic drugs to keep them at their fighting best, and may have kept guard with guns. The director of Ingham County Animal Control says dog fighting is a blood sport that comes with a price, and since it's on the rise, she says it's everyone's problem. Jamie Mcaloon-Lampman, Director of Ingham County Animal Control: "They steal dogs in these fights, they use people's personal pets as bait animals. Dog fighting effects every member of the community no matter where you live." But in this case, the fight is over. Ingham County Animal Control says they are still looking for the people behind the dog fights. If you have any information, call 517-676-8370. Source:/www.wlns.com Update: Local Dog Fighting Ring May 9, 2006 05:39 AM EST Ingham County Animal Control officers trying to uncover who's behind an illegal dog fighting ring may now have a some new leads. Last week authorities discovered 7 Pit Bulls in a Lansing Township home. Officials say some of the dogs were scarred from fighting and four were already dead. Animal control says it's received several tips since we ran the story here on 6 News, and now the National Humane Society is offering a $2,500 reward for tips that lead to an arrest. If you have any information, you're asked to contact Ingham County Animal Control at: 676-8376 Source:http://www.wlns.com 12 People Arrested in Nightclub /Dog Fighting PA                                                     Troopers bust dog fighting ring LA Upate at bottom:May 7, 2006 Dogfight at city night spot busted/12 people arrested in Allentown club. Four canines rescued. By Spencer Soper Of The Morning Call Twelve people were arrested Saturday afternoon at a dogfight staged in the basement of an Allentown nightclub in the city's biggest animal cruelty crackdown in years, police said. Responding on a tip, investigators found four dogs, two of them injured, in the basement of the Down Low Nite Club, 333 Hamilton St., between 2 and 3 p.m., Assistant Police Chief David Howells said''It's a clandestine type of operation,'' he said. ''Fortunately, in this case, a concerned citizen called in and let us know about the situation.'' About 20 police officers, the Lehigh County Humane Society and the city's Health Bureau and code enforcement division investigated the business, which was closed down by the city Saturday night. Orange stickers left on the doors by the code enforcement division say the building is ''unsafe for use or human habitation.'' Police taped off a half block of N. Race Street next to the nightclub. Howells said police got a search warrant for the building Saturday night. Two empty dog kennels sat on the sidewalk next to a side door. Names of the suspects were not available. Howells said the people arrested were charged with felony counts of animal cruelty and animal fighting. The Humane Society took the dogs, Howells said. A city building inspector on the scene deferred questions to police. Howells said the building was shut down because it's a restaurant and inspectors found unsanitary conditions. ''They serve food there,'' Howells said. ''There was blood everywhere, and dog hair, urine and feces.'' Most dog-fighting arrests through the years have been low-key events with a handful of people in an alley or someone's yard, Howells said. For instance, three Allentown men were charged with animal cruelty in 1999 when authorities found them encouraging dogs to fight on the sidewalk on Seventh Street. In 1998, two men were charged with animal cruelty for making their pit bulls fight at a home on Gordon Street. Neighbors told police they heard the men encouraging the dogs to fight, and police found one pit bull bleeding from its wounds. ''I'm not aware of an organized dogfight like this in a long time,'' Howells said. ''We've had them in the past, but where a couple of people meet in the alley.'' Source:www.mcall.com Humane Society officials say they've seen this kind of thing before, but they haven't been able to do much about it. But, Saturday's anonymous caller helped them get to the scene before it was too late. WFMZ's Eve Tannery has more. Eve?? John. Officials at the Humane Society say they get calls here and there about dog fights happening in alleys or in basements. But, when they get to the scene, they say it's often too late . The situation has either dispersed, or, they find the remains of animals involved. That's why officials say yesterday's anonymous caller was instrumental in stopping what they say was a horrific act in progress. AGUIRRE: 15:52:19 The scenario was incredible. I've been doing this for 13 years..and what Isaw yesterday was what I see in training videos. TANNERY: Police say the dozen people involved in Saturday's dog fight are now behind bars at the Lehigh County Prison. Police say some them came as far away as Port Jervis, New York, to participate in the dog fight. Now....they face felony charges....with bail ranging from 35 thousand to 100 thousand dollars. Officials say the tip they received from an anonymous caller, and its timing, was key. AGUIRRE: 15:56:07 We usually get the call afterwards...we find an animal injured, an animal deceased, but never have we gotten a call in my 13 years here where we were on top of it..where we were able to get in there, see it happening, and break it up, and hopefully, we saved 2 lives in the sense of the other animals who weren't in there at the time. TANNERY: Officer Aguirre says whether or not to put down some, or all, of the four pitbulls involved remains on hold until the investigation is complete. ORLANDO: 15:53:10 Two of the dogs have very severe injuries due to the dog fighting..which was taking place when we entered the place. The other 2 are in good condition, they're healthy and they weren't at the time involved in the dog fighting. TANNERY: Aguirre says this type of dog fighting, at a professional level, is very rare. He says it's underground, and, usually, until now, difficult to find. AGUIRRE: 15:54:50 That caller, when the person called in, that was a beautiful thing, that somebody actually did something to help an animal out. Officer Aguirre says spectators face the same charges as the owners of the animals. He says the felony charge carries a minimum sentence of 7 years in jail. Source:http://wfmz.com May 8, 2006 Dogfight suspects joke, complain Men arrested in club basement gripe in court about bail, blankets. Hours after they allegedly cheered as two pit bulls mauled each other in the basement of an Allentown nightclub, the 11 men accused of staging or watching the bloody dogfight sat shackled together in a courtroom. They griped about how thirsty and hungry they were, wondered aloud whether their mothers or friends would bail them out, and complained about the itchy wool blankets they would have to sleep with in prison. The bloodstained fight pit, an electrical shock device and two pit bulls with life-threatening injuries stood as evidence against the men, according to arrest affidavits. But in the courtroom, there was nary a mention of the injured dogs, the wagering that allegedly went down or even the slightest hint of remorse.Instead, some joked that a man charged with domestic assault for allegedly hitting his girlfriend with an ashtray had $5,000 bail, while their bail on animal cruelty charges was set at between $35,000 and $100,000. ''Maybe we should smack some bitches up,'' one of the suspects snickered about his bail. ''When you gonna feed us?'' another one demanded of the Allentown police officers standing watch in the district judge's courtroom. Another asked for a drink of water, and, when told he would have to wait until after court, complained: ''I feel like a hostage in Iraq.'' One heavyset defendant wanted to know when he'd get a shower, and whether prison clothes would be found to fit him. ''I need a nonwool blanket. The wool blankets they have in there make you itch,'' another suspect declared to a police officer. Arrested were Allentown residents Moses Ramos, 28, of 634 Lehigh St.; Glenn Prude, 42, of 1108 Tilghman St.; Khayree Mohammad Pickett, 27, of 205 N. Jordan St.; and Noel Junior Velez, 26, of 640 N. Lumber St.; Emmaus resident Daniel Matthew Petties, 27, of 330 Powdermill Lane; Easton resident Levar Terrell Cook, 25, of 24 N. Ninth St.; Bethlehem resident Martin Laluz, 34, of 447 E. Garrison St.; Andrew S. Davis, 31, of Yulan, N.Y.; Mikkel Rico McKinney, 27, of Philadelphia; and Javon K. Johnson, 28, and Winfield Roy Poyer, 29, both of Port Jervis, N.Y. Police allegedly found the men and the 13-year-old son of one of the men in the basement of the Down Low nightclub, at 333 Hamilton St., at 2 p.m. Saturday after an investigator with the Lehigh County Humane Society heard dogs barking and people yelling to encourage the dogs to fight. In the basement, police found several dogs, including two with life-threatening injuries, a makeshift wooden fight pit with bloodstains inside, an electric shocking device, a scale and veterinary supplies, according to arrest affidavits. The Humane Society investigator who notified police was tipped off by someone at the alleged dogfight who left, according to the affidavit. Dogfights are a trend sweeping through American cities, said John Goodwin, deputy manager of animal fighting issues for the Humane Society of the United States. Glamorized in pop culture by some gangsta rappers and in such films as ''Ghetto Dawg,'' underground dogfights have become an epidemic, with the stakes high enough that organizers risk jail time and steep fines to stage the bloody matches, Goodwin said. ''There is still this underbelly that view these dogs as extensions of their manhood,'' Goodwin said. ''They get pit bulls and have them tear one another apart for status in the neighborhood.'' The 11 suspects arrested were charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly watching the fight, which is punishable by up to seven years in prison and up to a $13,000 fine. Davis, Laluz and Prude face additional felony counts for allegedly conspiring to organize the fight and placing bets on the outcome. Laluz also faces a misdemeanor charge of corrupting a minor because he allegedly had his 13-year-old son at the dogfight. The suspects were sent to Lehigh County Prison early Sunday. District Judge Karen Devine set bail for Poyer, Cook, Johnson, McKinney, Petties, Velez, Ramos and Pickett at $35,000; Davis at $70,000; and Prude and Laluz at $100,000. They all have preliminary hearings scheduled for 2 p.m. next Monday. Pickett and Ramos said they were employees at the nightclub who went to get their paychecks while the dogfight was taking place. Both men told police they were at the club for about 10 to 15 minutes and observed two dogs fighting, according to their arrest affidavits. ''I was in the wrong place at the wrong time,'' Ramos said, adding that he would likely lose his house and custody of his son because he wouldn't be able to make bail. Ramos told a female acquaintance present for his arraignment to pack up his belongings because he would probably get evicted. Pickett, who claimed he is a club bouncer, said: ''I'm getting ready to call my momma. Somebody better come up with some money and come and get me. I'm in the wrong place.'' A few of the men accused of watching the dogfight said they thought their $35,000 bail was too high. ''Thirty-five thousand dollars is like a ransom,'' one complained. ''It's like a house. After taxes, you'd have to make $60,000 to get $35,000.'' ''It's a felony charge,'' Devine responded. ''If it makes you feel any better, the detective in charge requested $50,000.'' Source:http://www.mcall.com                                   May 13, 2006 ( Louisiana) Police made a major dog-fighting bust in Tangipahoa Parish Friday, rounding up more than a dozen Pitt Bulls in the town of Independence. State Police arrested 54-year-old Jacqueline Guerrera of Independence and charged her with 13 counts of animal cruelty. She also faces gun and drug charges. Agents said the dogs -- 13 in all -- are the ultimate victims as state law requires them to be euthanized. "They don't have the on-off switch like most domesticated dogs have," said Kathryn Destreza of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "These dogs will continue to attack, or go at another animal." State Police said more than 670 dogs used for fighting were seized across Louisiana in the last year. Source:http://www.2theadvocate.com   Pit bulls seized in dog fighting bust Baton Rouge LA                                                 Dog fighting ring busted- Ft. Myers ,FL  [Update]    UPDATE:May 18, 2006 "Alleged BR pit bull breeder at large" A Baton Rouge man accused of breeding pit bulls for illegal dog fights is still at large after Louisiana State Police raided his home early Wednesday. Kevin Valentine was not at his 11395 Granberry St. home, just north of Metro Airport, when State Police arrived at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, said Senior Trooper Dwight Robinette, spokesman for the Gaming Enforcement Division. Acting on a tip and armed with a search warrant, State Police entered the property and seized 10 pit bulls and various dog-fighting paraphernalia, Robinette said. “We found treadmills, weights and medication that would allow healing to wounds and prevent bleeding a dog might sustain in a fight,” he said. The dogs had facial scars, a possible indication the animals had been involved in dog fights, Robinette said. The dogs were taken to East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control, where they likely will be euthanized, he said. An arrest warrant has been issued for Valentine, who in 2005 pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty and was initially given 3 years with the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections before the sentence was suspended to 18 months of supervised probation, Robinette said. “In this incident, he (Valentine) violated his probation, which specified he cannot possess any animals,” Robinette said. Valentine is wanted for illegal activity of dog fighting and cruelty to animals. “This has been going on for a while, but the last couple of years it has gotten out of hand,” said Robinette, whose division last week participated in another raid near Baton Rouge. On May 12, State Police confiscated 13 pit bulls and arrested Jackie Guerra, 52, of Independence, whom police accused of breeding the dogs for illegal hog-dog fights, investigators said. In hog-dog fights, the canines are pitted against a hog, and the owner whose dog kills the hog first wins the purse. In the last 12 months, Robinette said, State Police have arrested more than 120 individuals for felony dog fighting, confiscated more than 678 fighting dogs and seized more than $25,000 in cash, while recovering illegal weapons, contraband and narcotics. Source:www.2theadvocate.com May 17, 2006 Ten pit bulls were seized at a house just north of Baton Rouge Wednesday morning. State Police said the animals were being used in dog fights. Agents are now looking for the owner of the animals, Kevin Valentine. Valentine pleaded guilty for dog fighting after a 2004 arrest. Police said he now faces more dog fighting charges along with animal cruelty. "He's in violation of his probation, and as the probation specifically indicated he was not to possess any animals, especially gaming animals," said Dwight Robinette of Louisiana State Police. "Upon us serving the search warrant today we noticed some of the animals did have facial scarring. The animals have been turned into the care and custody of East Baton Rouge Animal Control." A tip from neighbors led agents to the house on Granberry, a few miles north of the Metro Airport. Once they arrived agents found plenty of evidence to make a dog fighting arrest, including training equipment, two treadmills and drugs used to stop bleeding and prevent infection after a fight. The bust is the second by State Police in the area in the last week. State law says all dogs seized as part of dog fighting rings must be euthanized. Source:www.2theadvocate.com                                    May 21 ,2006 UPDATE* Authorities await report on dogfighting discovery The Lee County Sheriff's Office will wait for Lee County Animal Services' full report before filing charges against a man whose 23 pit bulls were seized Friday. Sgt. Jamie Lazenby said detectives must provide all investigative material to the state attorney's office within 10 days of an arrest, so they have to be thorough with their investigation. According to a sheriff's report, Gracil Ryals of Alva brought her 10-year-old son, Terrence Harrison to Lehigh Regional Medical Center on Wednesday after he was bitten in the hand by a red-nosed pit bull. He was playing with other children at a home in Charleston Park. Hospital officials contacted Animal Services, which went to the house in northeast Lee County looking for a dog that matched the description. Any animal that bites a person is quarantined for 10 days to determine whether it is infected with rabies, public information officer Ria Brown said. When they arrived, they found 23 dogs "in plain view in the back yard with injuries consistent with possible dogfighting," according to a sheriff's office report. They also found a shed full of equipment used to train dogs to fight, including two treadmills and a spring pole with a flat basketball attached that trains dogs to jump up and hang on to the ball to strengthen their necks and jaws, Brown said. Also found was "canine teasing paraphernalia designed to strengthen canine biting," the report said. The dogs' owner was at work in North Fort Myers when officers arrived, his wife told Animal Services officers. They seized the dogs and brought them to the Animal Services shelter on Banner Drive. Brown said most of the dogs will likely be euthanized because of their viciousness. Many are covered with nicks and scratches on their faces and scarring all over their bodies. Some were also very thin, with ribs exposed. Lazerby said charges are imminent. "Our personal opinion is that they were fighting dogs," he said. "There's going to be an arrest." Source:www.news-press.com May 20,2006 *UPDATED* Authorities seize 23 pit bulls Animal Services reports 'horrendous' conditions at property in northeast Lee* The report of a dog bite led authorities Friday to seize 23 pit bulls from what they are describing as training grounds designed to teach dogs to fight to the death. Most of the 23 pit bulls that Lee County Animal Services officers rescued from a Charleston Park property in northeast Lee County likely will be euthanized because of their viciousness, said public information officer Ria Brown. She expects charges against the property owner sometime next week. Because Animal Services officers don't have arresting powers, the Lee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case. Neither the property owner's name nor the address has been released because no charges have been filed. Thursday, a mother reported her son was bitten by a dog in that area, so Animal Services officers went to the property Friday to find the animal that matched the description. Any animal that bites a person is quarantined for 10 days to determine whether it is infected with rabies, Brown said. "When we went out there, we saw 23 dogs that fit the description," she said. What they also found, they said, was a shed full of equipment used to train dogs to fight to the death, including two treadmills and a spring pole with a flat basketball attached that trains dogs to jump up and hang on to the ball to strengthen their necks and jaws. The owner had also created a "cat mill," which is a track with a cage that typically houses a cat for the dogs to chase to increase speed, Brown said. The 23 dogs are being held at the Animal Services shelter on Banner Drive. Many were covered with nicks and scratches on their faces and scarring all over their bodies. Some were also very thin, with ribs exposed. Brown said the dogs were living in very poor conditions, including cages with jagged floors, easily able to cut their feet. Their feces dropped through the bottom of the cage and piled up, she said. Though the owner told Animal Services workers he gave the dogs plenty of water, Brown said most of the water dishes were upside down — some were filled with sand. "The first thing these dogs did when they got into these kennels was go to the water," she said. "The water situation was horrendous." Brown said all signs — the equipment, the dogs' conditions and the property — point to a dogfighting ring. She said it's hard to stop them because they are usually run at night or weekends and in otherwise inconspicuous neighborhoods. She said no one would be able to tell something illegal was going on at the property just by walking by. "When you've got a shed full of that stuff, it's a no-brainer," she said. "I've seen worse, but this was far from acceptable." Because the dogs have been trained for fighting, they will be too vicious to live in a home, Brown said. "If there's any way to save one, we do it," she said. "But sometimes there's no humane way to save them. Sometimes it's more humane to put them down." Lance Raiche, chief animal control officer for the county, said dogfighting is big business for those who train and bet on dogs. He said the people who are usually involved in dogfighting are usually linked to other crimes. "Money, drugs, weapons, they're all involved," he said. "People have been fighting dogs for a long, long time." He said some neighbors probably should have noticed something strange if vehicles were showing up late at night and on weekends and dogs were being brought to the property. But Animal Services officials said they don't know whether the actual fights were taking place there or if the owner was just training dogs there. Lee County Sheriff's Deputy Angelo Vaughn said deputies took a report Thursday of a boy being bitten in Charleston Park, but he said computer problems were preventing him from pulling the report. Authorities in Southwest Florida have uncovered several dogfighting rings in the past few years. In January 2004, a Punta Gorda man was arrested for organizing a "hog rodeo," where dogs fought feral hogs in a pen. Eddie Platt was charged with cruelty to animals, a third-degree felony. In August 2002, a North Fort Myers man was convicted of five charges relating to dog fighting. Evan Robinson was charging admission to the fights and had crowds up to 100 people. Eighteen pit bulls found on the property were euthanized. And in May 2000, Charlotte County deputies stumbled upon a battle between two pit bull terriers in southern Charlotte County. Source:www.news-press.com 5/19/2006 6:06:25 PM * Updated* LEE COUNTY Ft. Myers,FL: Authorities say they've busted a huge dog fighting ring in Lee County. More than 2 dozen pit bulls have been taken to Lee County Animal Services. The dogs were pawns in what investigators say was a brutal money making venture. The dogs were malnourished, dirty and had scars from past fights. Investigators went to the property originally for a call about a dog bite. That's when they found the dogs without tags or licenses. They also found fighting paraphernalia and a pit for fighting. Source:www.nbc-2.com May 26,2006 *UPDATED* Pit bulls' owner expected to face dogfight charges Criminal charges against the owner of 23 pit bulls seized last week in Charleston Park could come as soon as today, animal service officials said. Most of the dogs that appear to have been bred for fighting likely will be euthanized, but because it's a criminal case, taking legal possession of the dogs could take weeks or months, said Rita Brown, spokeswoman for Lee County Animal Services. Sheriff's spokesman Angelo Vaughn said his agency still was investigating the case Thursday. County animal workers are taking care of the pit bulls at the animal services facility on Banner Drive in south Fort Myers. Animal service and sheriff's officials met Wednesday to discuss the progress of the dog-fighting investigation, said Lance Raiche, field operations manager for animal services. "We'll know more (today)," Raiche said. There are numerous scars consistent with fighting on some of the dogs, Raiche added. Sheriff's and animal services investigators responded last Friday after a 10-year-old boy was allegedly bitten in the hand by a red-nosed pit bull that was in the yard at 16911 First St. in Charleston Park, a neighborhood near Alva in eastern Lee County. Investigators later seized 23 dogs and fighting equipment on the property, including tread mills and a spring post with a flat basketball attached to strengthen a dog's neck and jaws. Possession of that equipment is a felony, Brown said. According to sheriff's reports, the owner of the house is Andrew Pew, 42. Pew did not return messages seeking comment, but his longtime friend, Tony Neal, 40, of Fort Myers, said animal services went too far by taking all the dogs away. "Most of the dogs they took from this man are harmless in the community's eyes," said Neal, who has known Pew since 1979. "He's just known for taking care of injured dogs in the neighborhood. If he was breeding dogs for fighting, people would have called the police a long time ago." The treadmills were used to exercise some of the dogs because he couldn't run them every day, Neal said. The dogs were not starved or neglected, he said. Meanwhile, the youngest dog seized likely is the only one that could be put up for adoption, Brown said. "The ancestors are all fighting dogs," Brown said. "You can't undo what's been done to these dogs." Source:http://www.news-press.com                                                                             Man gets jail time for Dog Fighting  York, PA                                                 Robert D. Chapman admits hosting Dog Fight IL May23,2006 Man gets jail for animal fighting Kalief M. Watkins, listed as a fugitive, had missed his original sentencing date. By RICK LEE May 23, 2006 — A Wellington Street man who pleaded guilty to animal fighting in September, but then failed to appear for his November sentencing hearing, was formally sentenced Monday in York County Common Pleas Court. Kalief M. Watkins, 30, was remanded to county prison to begin serving a two-to-four-year sentence while he awaits his July trial for an unrelated drug charge. According to reports, Watkins came to the attention of York City Police when the SPCA was advised in February 2004 of an under-fed pit bull in the 300 block of East King Street. Police and humane officers searched the home and found the dog, along with a plywood dog-fighting pit that yielded visible traces of blood, a dog-fighting apparatus, antibiotic medications and syringes. Police also discovered a small amount of marijuana and a 39 mm rifle with a banana clip and ammunition. Watkins pleaded guilty to animal fighting, violation of the state's Uniform Firearms Act and possession of a small amount of marijuana. He remained free on $54,000 bail but was listed as a fugitive when he failed to appear for sentencing. Court documents do not reflect when Watkins was taken into custody on the bench warrant. In September, Judge Penny L. Blackwell forfeited ownership of the female brindle pit bull, found by authorities in February, to the SPCA. Source:www.ydr.com                                    Gridley man admits hosting dogfights Tuesday, May 23, 2006 PONTIAC -- A Gridley man pleaded guilty Tuesday to hosting dogfights at his property. Robert D. Chapman II, 33, of Gridley pleaded in Livingston County Court to charges of providing a facility for dog fighting and obstruction of justice. Chapman is among several people who were charged last year as a result of an undercover investigation being conducted by Cook County authorities. On Sept. 10 and 11, Cook County authorities followed people believed to be involved in dog fighting to Chapman’s home at 5905 East 1100 North Road. Officials broke up the dog fighting and made 10 arrests. Most of those arrested were from Chicago or Detroit, Mich. Chapman is scheduled to be back in court June 27 for sentencing, which will come with a joint recommendation from the state’s attorney and Chapman’s attorney. The terms of the sentencing agreement haven’t been reached yet. The two Class 4 felonies are punishable with one to three years in prison. Police say the fighting was going on in a shed on Chapman’s property, which also includes his home. Authorities said Chapman tried to destroy evidence of the dog fighting by burning the body of a dog and carpeting. Twelve bull terrier dogs were taken from the home Chapman shared with his wife. Only one of those dogs was returned to the couple because it was a family pet. The rest of the dogs have been sent to rescue agencies, adopted out or euthanized. Some of the dogs were extremely violent toward each other. Chapman will have to pay for the care of the animals while they were in custody of the county. Source:www.pantagraph.com Police Seize Dogs From Alleged Dog-Fighting Ring (OH)                           Police Raid Home For Suspected Dog Fighting OH May 25, 2006 Police Seize Dogs From Alleged Dog-Fighting Ring Owner Says Dogs Not Mistreated COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An alleged dog-fighting ring was broken up on Thursday afternoon. Eight dogs were taken from a house on Miller Avenue. The dogs' owner showed NBC 4 the kennels and said she has a license to breed the dogs. The woman said the dogs were not mistreated, and she plans to get them back. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said there is clear evidence that the dogs were bred to fight. Police said residents in the neighborhood tipped them off. Source: http://www.nbc4i.com/news/9277325/detail.html                                   COLUMBUS, Ohio --May 27,2006 Police and animal control agents raided a local home Friday afternoon for suspected dog fighting, and they found something unexpected. Officials executed the raid at a home on Scissortail Loop and found not just emaciated pit bulls, but also some drugsBertha Saint-Clair was arrested for failing to appear at a recent animal control-related court appearance. She claimed partial ownership of the dogs, police saidThe raid began after officials received a complaint in April from neighbors who said they witnessed a male pit bull and a female pit bull fighting viciously in the home's yard. A dog warden who responded to the scene said she found the dogs chained in the basement in filthy conditions, both injured and still bleeding. The dogs were allegedly both underweight and suffering from wound infections, investigators said. At first, the owner allegedly tried to deny the dog fighting. "The person who answered the door had blood splattered all over her pants and one of her socks was practically soaked in blood. They asked her if she was having a problem with her dogs. They were surprised when she said no and kind of acted like she didn't know why they were there," said Joyce Rice, of the Capital Area Humane Society. The owner will be charged with failure to provide proper medical treatment. She turned over possession of animals to the Capital Area Humane Society, Tate reported. The dog warden will continue to investigate if the animals were used for other fighting purposes. Source:www.nbc4i.com   Police Discover apparent Dog fighting Ring IN                                                       Cops find Pit ring, 16 dogs, 6 carcasses  IN               May 29, 2006 10:00 pm *UPDATE* Police Discover Apparent Dog Fighting Ring GARY/ Indiana Neighbors Alerted Authorities To Mistreatment Lake County Sheriff's Police in Northwest Indiana have broken up a dog fighting ring that apparently trained and tortured the animals it used to make money. CBS 2 Northwest Indiana Bureau Chief Pamela Jones reports officers discovered a grim scene when they moved in. Dogs were found chained to the ground with plastic barrels for shelter. The carcasses of other dogs were wrapped in plastic, buzzing with flies. "I heard the dogs hollering and screaming for food and water," said neighbor Charles Majeski. Neighbors alerted Lake County police to what detectives call a case of animal neglect and animal fighting. The resident was nowhere to be found. "He just moved in 6 months ago and told me he was breeding. And I took him for his word," Majeski said. Crews confiscated some 16 dogs that survived at the Calumet Township property just west of Gary. "Some of them had injuries consistent with fighting. I would say the dogs' conditions were pretty poor," Sheriff Dept. Det. Michelle Weaver said. They also took a harness weighted with chain links, a treadmill and other items detectives say are commonly used to train dogs to fight. "Occasionally our department will hear of dog fighting in other jurisdictions, not in ours. We were surprised to find this here," Weaver said. In the shed to the rear of the property was what detectives say could have been a fighting ring and a carpet soaked with animal blood. It was an alleged training center in an area so secluded, CBS 2 is told it could have remained someone's secret had it not been for the goodwill of neighbors. The smell of animal remains and feces still hangs over the property. CBS 2 has been told the animals may not have been fed for days. Some are critically dehydrated. Neighbors were able to feed and give water to the animals until police arrived. The dogs are now in the custody of the Lake County Animal Shelter. Investigators hope to have a warrant issued for the resident of the home Tuesday. Source:http://cbs2chicago.com Updates: Sheriff’s police find pit bull fighting site Lake County Police discovered six dead pit bulls, bloody collars, a small treadmill and a six-week workout schedule leading up to “game day” when they searched a Calumet Township home belonging to a Gary firefighter Monday. They also found weighted harnesses, straps and 16 live pit bulls chained in the back yard at the home they said belonged to Carlton Davis Jr. in the 3700 block of W. 48th Place. Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said it’s the first confirmed case of dog fighting discovered in Lake County in recent memory, and he’s hoping it might be a breakthrough for catching others. “This is something we’ve been waiting for,” Dominguez said. Detective Michelle Weaver said she will contact the Lake County Prosecutor’s office today to pursue charges against Davis, who police believe was in South Carolina. “He can’t deny that they’re this,” Weaver said, sorting photographs of the dogs she found in the house. The pictures, most of which did not show any abuse, were in albums in a bedroom, and one was kept in a picture frame beside the couch in the living room. But hidden in files in the house were photographs of dogs strapped down in his barn and being forced to breed. Weaver also discovered a six-week workout schedule for the dogs, requiring two-mile and five-mile walks and workouts on a treadmill, all leading up to “game day.” Patrolman Brian Jones found a receipt for the sale of a pit bull named Lexie for $800. “It’s just inconceivable that someone could be so inhumane,” Dominguez said. Gary Fire Chief Robert Walker said Monday night he had not been notified of the search, but that he would begin his own investigation into the accusations immediately. “That’s not anything we condone,” Walker said. Davis, who works at the Black Oak fire station in Gary, is expected to begin a shift today, Walker said. Earlier Monday, Weaver said, neighbors had noticed the dogs had been neglected for days and called the county police. Officers came to the house to respond to the complaint. When they noticed the way the dogs were being kept, they left to get a search warrant. “They did an excellent job of working together,” Dominguez said. The search began about 5:30 p.m. when Dominguez arrived at the property. Officers first searched a barn on the property where they found a wooden treadmill and scale. Bloody dog collars were on a shelf along with wires for shocking the animals. They also found a device with two straps on each end, likely used to agitate the animals before a fight. “They basically just strap the dogs face to face in there,” Weaver said. In the back of a nearby truck just outside Davis’ garage, where flies were gathering and the stench was intolerable, officers also found six black trash bags with dog carcasses in them. Dominguez said it had been there “for a while.” Behind the garage in the secluded, wooded back yard, pit bulls were chained to the ground. They had been given plastic barrels for shelter. “These guys are not even ready to fight yet,” said Detective Mario Orutea. “These guys would be charging us.” However, two dogs chained closer to the garage might have fought already, Weaver said. One had blood on its ears. The other silently watched the officers, but backed away as they approached. “They probably only see people on fight night,” Weaver said. In the garage were empty kennels, but no blood on the ground. “There’s really no sign of it,” Orutea said. Then the officers unrolled carpeting that had been leaned up against the wall and discovered the blood stains. There also were four wooden panels that might have been used to form the ring the dogs fought in. They were each covered with blood on one side. “They’re all the same,” Jones said to Orutea, who was taking photographs. Soon after, the officers forced open the door of the home and began searching for even more evidence. Inside, they found the workout schedule, photographs of the animals and the receipt for the dog Davis had sold. Someone also had written a workout and feeding schedule on the back of a Gary Fire Department incident report. “We’re going to follow every lead and see where it takes us,” Dominguez said. June1,2006 UPDATE: Pit bulls bred for fights face destruction The 16 thirsty pit bulls chained in a swampy plot beyond a Gary firefighter's backyard are getting water, food and tender care from Lake County, Ind., Animal Control and Shelter workers. For most of the dogs, it will be their last home. "They have been conditioned to be very aggressive toward other animals. I don't think we will be able to place most of them," animal control director Matt Lubarski said Tuesday. Police on Monday seized the dogs and discovered many carcasses, fighting gear and paperwork showing workout schedules and plans for "game day." Felony charges to be sought On Tuesday, a contractor hired by Lake County was removing the dead animals stored on the firefighter's property in the 3700 block of West 48th Place in Calumet Township. Except for a puppy and one or two young dogs, the pit bulls are probably beyond rehabilitation, Lubarski said. "If I wouldn't take that dog home, I wouldn't expect others to adopt it," he said. Gary Mayor Rudy Clay said Tuesday he was appalled by reports of the discovery. "First of all, I am an animal lover. What I saw and hear, I don't condone it," he said. Lake County Detective Michelle Weaver is preparing evidence to present to prosecutors this week. She said she would seek felony charges, including cruelty to animals, against the dogs' alleged owner, a seven-year veteran of the Gary Fire Department. 'Still a firefighter' Gary Weiss, attorney for the firefighter, said his client is prepared to fight any charges. Several firefighters contacted by the Post-Tribune declined to talk about their colleague. Gary Fire Chief Robert Walker said if the firefighter was involved in a dog fighting ring, many of his co-workers knew about it. "Everything on this job gets around," Walker said. "These guys know everything about everybody. But they're not going to talk. Whatever he did, he's still a firefighter." Walker said no disciplinary action will be considered until he has more information. Authorities said conditions at the home were exceptionally bad. "It's one of the worst cases of animal abuse I've ever seen," Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said. "It's unbelievable that a man sworn to protect life would do this to another living being," Lubarski said.Source:Sun-Times News                                   Updates* INDIANA Cops find fighting ring, 16 dogs, 6 carcasses May30,2006 CALUMET TOWNSHIP: Neighbor alerts police to starving animals; equipment for canines found in separate buildings CALUMET TOWNSHIP | Charles Majeski knew the man who lived across the street from him in the 3700 block of West 48th Place was breeding pit bulls, but when the dogs were barking loudly Monday and he hadn't seen anyone on the property for more than a week, he decided to go across the street and investigate. He found more than a dozen starving pit bulls, police said. "I gave them food and water, and then called police," he said. "I didn't want the dogs to die." When Lake County Sheriff's Department detectives arrived, they found 16 dogs, as well as equipment for breeding, training and fighting, Detective Michelle Weaver said. They also found the carcasses of six dogs in garbage bags in the back of a pickup truck. "The dogs were in bad condition," Weaver said. "They had injuries consistent with dog fighting." She said interviews with neighbors indicated that men would come to the property, which was marked with "Beware of Dogs" signs, with pit bulls at regular intervals. "Some would leave awhile later without their dogs," she said. She said garbage bags consistent with the ones found in the back of the pickup truck would be put out the following day. No one was home when detectives arrived, and Weaver declined to identify the homeowner until he could be interviewed. Lake County Animal Control took custody of the animals. Two structures on the property apparently were used for breeding and fighting, Weaver said. One building had a wooden treadmill for the dogs to run on, as well as devices the dogs could be strapped into to breed or to antagonize them. Heavy harnesses also were found. The second structure appeared to be where the dogs fought, with wooden cages in one corner and blood-stained carpet and wood planks that marked the fighting ring. When detectives arrived, Weaver said the building was filled with empty liquor bottles and plastic lawn chairs for spectators. The dogs lived outside on the back portion of the property, chained near empty plastic barrels that served as doghouses. She said paperwork found inside the home indicated a detailed training schedule leading up to "game day." Weaver said although the department regularly patrols the area, officers never would have known pit bull fighting was taking place on the densely wooded property unless neighbors alerted them to it. "We're trying to find out whatever we can about who was involved," she said. Source:www.thetimesonline.com UPDATES* May 31,2006 Police prepare animal cruelty charges 16 pit bulls confiscated from Gary firefighter; detective suspects dog fights held The 16 pit bulls confiscated from a Calumet Township home Monday afternoon have a hazy future as police prepare charges of animal cruelty and neglect against a Gary firefighter. Animal Control Rescue Coordinator Judy Bonaventura said Animal Control was in the process of weighing the dogs and providing vaccinations to keep them healthy during their stay. "They're in better condition than they were yesterday," Bonaventura said Tuesday. "When they came in yesterday they were covered in flies and bite marks, poor things." The dogs, which police suspect Carlton Davis Jr., 3721 W. 48th Place, may have used for fighting, are so aggressive Bonaventura said she thought it unlikely the dogs could be rehabilitated enough to ever be adopted. Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez said the initial decision about the dogs' future probably would be made with the help of the Pit Bull Rescue Association. "Unfortunately, these dogs have been trained to kill dogs," Dominguez said. "They might not be aggressive toward humans, but because of their history, the opportunity to put them back into the community might be too risky." Lake County Detective Michelle Weaver said she was investigating animal cruelty, neglect and possibly felony dog fighting charges regarding Davis. Davis' attorney contacted Weaver to say his client was on vacation and would return soon. There is no word yet when Davis would return or when charges will be filed, but Dominguez said police hoped to have charges filed in a week. "The future of the dogs is in the hands of the prosecutor and the judge," Weaver said. "I can't imagine they could ever be adopted. It's not their fault they're so aggressive. It's what this man taught them to be." Dominguez said it was possible Davis might be charged with illegal gambling and ownership of dog fighting paraphernalia. "We will continue to follow all our leads and evidence," Dominguez said. Dominguez also expressed disgust that the suspect was a firefighter. "Here's a person who has taken an oath of office to save human lives while being sick toward animals," Dominguez said. Weaver said police were first made aware of the problem after neighbors complained the dogs had been unattended for days. Officers saw equipment they thought might be used for dog fights through an open barn door and obtained a warrant. Bloodied collars, a treadmill, instruments used to strap dogs' faces together and a mat likely used as a fighting ring were found upon inspection. When officers entered the residence, they found various photographs of dogs being forced to breed along with an exercise schedule which ended on "game day." Source:nwitimes.com    Fighting Dog owner possibly a Fireman ,IN                                                              Dead dogs found at fireman's  home. IN              Published May 30, 2006 Lake County/Gary Indiana. Cops grab fighting dogs Fifteen adult pit bulls rescued from a wooded Indiana yard on Memorial Day likely will be euthanized, police said, as they investigate a dog-fighting case against a Gary firefighter. The dogs have been trained to be killers, said Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez. A 16th dog, a puppy, likely won't be put down, officials said. Police have not talked to the firefighter they believe owns the dogs, but they have seized electric prods, a treadmill, medications and other alleged fighting equipment from his property. Investigators also found at least six dead dogs in plastic bags, police said. "It's just tragic. The animals themselves, when we went there, were not aggressive to people, but when you put them near another animal, they just want to kill it," he said. "The things they did to these animals is inhumane. This is not something our society tolerates. I know I certainly do not." Dominguez said the firefighter is out of town and that officers have spoken with his attorney. Sheriff's police began their investigation into a possible dog-fighting ring Monday afternoon when a Calumet Township resident called about what he said were starving animals and the stench of carcasses. An unremitting whining from a yard in the 3700 block of West 48th Place drew neighbor C.J. Majeski, he said. Majeski said he found dogs staked with heavy tow chains outside shelters made from 55-gallon drums. The animals looked battered and didn't have food or water, he said. "I walked back and forth for two hours with 5 gallon buckets. My wife took over dog food and biscuits," Majeski said. "It was cruel. There was a truckful of dead dogs." Neighbors said the firefighter moved in about six months ago, and once every few Saturday nights, a dozen cars or so would line the block. Men would get out with dogs. Some dog handlers would leave with their animals, others would not, neighbors said. Majeski said he once questioned his neighbor about the comings and goings: "I asked him if he was fighting dogs and he said he was just breeding them. I took him at his word. He seemed like a nice guy." But after his call, police found about two dozen pieces of equipment they believe are associated with dog fighting, including a blood-soaked carpet. "Some of these things look like they came from Dracula's castle," said Matt Lubarski, director of the Lake County Animal Control Center in Crown Point. Police discovered electric prodding rods, a lamp cord fixed with alligator clips and harnesses weighted up to 50 pounds. In Lubarski's office stood one of the seized items: a contraption rigged to hold two dogs facing one another only inches apart, so the riled animals could battle without making contact. His center is housing the dogs. "If they see each other, they start this aggression," he said, describing a Tuesday morning incident. Two dogs were in adjacent dog runs, separated by a chain-link fence. "They latched onto one another and wouldn't let go," he said. "We had to sedate one of them to separate them. They are trained to fight. Once a pit bull latches on, it's as bad as a crocodile or an alligator." At the shelter, some of the seized dogs wagged their tails at a visitor, while other underweight dogs barely moved. A stout brindle dog with a slash on his nose snarled at a puppy outside his cage. Police expect to file charges by the end of the week, Dominguez said. Cruelty and dog-fighting charges are felonies, punishable by up to 3 years and $10,000 under Indiana law, he said. But investigators are also pursuing leads that could end with charges against other participants, such as being a spectator to a dogfight, he said. If police determine that gambling occurred, a suspect could face Indiana forfeiture laws, he said. Dominguez, who has worked as a law officer or attorney in the area for 25 years, said this is the first dog-fighting case he remembers. "Here's a person who takes an oath to protect human life," he said, describing the owner of the modest red home. "When we went into the house, on the table is a Holy Bible. The Bible says to take care of all of God's creatures. It just totally contradicts what we found out there." Source:www.chicagotribune.com                                   Police Suspect Dog-Fighting Operation *UPDATE* May 30, 2006 GARY, Ind. -- Lake County, Ind., police discovered six dead pit bulls, bloody collars, a small treadmill and a six-week workout schedule leading up to “game day” when they searched a Calumet Township home belonging to a Gary firefighter Monday. They also found weighted harnesses, straps and 16 live pit bulls chained in the back yard at the home they said belonged to Carlton Davis Jr. in the 3700 block of W. 48th Place in unincorporated Calumet Township just west of Gary. Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said it’s the first confirmed case of dog fighting discovered in Lake County in recent memory, and he’s hoping it might be a breakthrough for catching others. "This is something we've been waiting for," he said. Detective Michelle Weaver said she will contact the Lake County Prosecutor’s office Tuesday to pursue charges against Davis, who police believe was in South Carolina. "He can't deny that they're his,” Weaver said, sorting photographs of the dogs she found in the house. The pictures, most of which did not show any abuse, were in albums in a bedroom, and one was kept in a picture frame beside the couch in the living room. But hidden in files in the house were photographs of dogs strapped down in his barn and being forced to breed. Weaver also discovered a six-week workout schedule for the dogs, requiring two-mile and five-mile walks and workouts on a treadmill, all leading up to “game day.” “It’s just inconceivable that someone could be so inhumane,” Dominguez said. Gary Fire Chief Robert Walker said he had not been notified of the search, but would begin his own investigation into the accusations immediately. "That’s not anything we condone,” Walker said. Davis, who works at the Black Oak fire station in Gary, was expected to begin a shift Tuesday, Walker said. Weaver said neighbors had noticed the dogs had been neglected for days and called the county police on Monday. Officers came to the house to respond to the complaint. When they noticed the way the dogs were being kept, they left to get a search warrant. Officers first searched a barn on the property where they found a wooden treadmill and scale. Bloody dog collars were on a shelf along with wires for shocking the animals. They also found a device with two straps on each end, likely used to agitate the animals before a fight. “They basically just strap the dogs face to face in there,” Weaver said. Behind the garage in the secluded, wooded back yard, pit bulls were chained to the ground. They had been given plastic barrels for shelter. “We’re going to follow every lead and see where it takes us,” Dominguez said Source:www.nbc5.com Most Of Rescued Fighting Pit Bulls Not Adoptable Charges Considered Against Gary Firefighter June 1, 2006 CALUMET TOWNSHIP, Ind. -- The 16 thirsty pit bulls chained in a swampy plot in a Calumet Township back yard are getting water, food and tender care from Lake County Animal Control and Shelter workers, but for most of them, it will be their last home. "They have been conditioned to be very aggressive toward other animals. I don't think we will be able to place most of them," Director Matt Lubarski told the Post-Tribune newspaper. Police on Monday seized the dogs and discovered numerous carcasses, fighting gear and paperwork showing workout schedules and plans for "game day." On Tuesday, a contractor hired by Lake County was removing the dead animals stored on Carlton Davis Jr.'s property in the 3700 block of West 48th Place in Calumet Township. Except for a puppy and one or two young dogs, the pit bulls are probably beyond rehabilitation, Lubarski said. "If I wouldn't take that dog home, I wouldn't expect others to adopt it," he said. Lake County Detective Michelle Weaver is preparing evidence to present to prosecutors this week. She said she would seek felony charges, including cruelty to animals, against Davis, a seven-year veteran of the Gary Fire Department. Firefighter Davis has not been arrested. Assigned to the Black Oak fire station, he was scheduled to take several days off and is not in northwest Indiana, Chief Robert Walker said. Gary Weiss, attorney for Davis, said his client is prepared to fight any charges levied against him. "We have not discussed the substance of the case, but he has indicated to me that what has been reported is completely inaccurate," Weiss said. Davis is on vacation, but is prepared to turn himself in when he returns next week, Weiss said. Weiss contacted county police and said his client did not wish to make a statement to investigators, Sheriff Roy Dominguez said Tuesday. Walker said if Davis was involved in the dog-fighting ring, many of his co-workers knew about it. "Everything on this job gets around," Walker said. "These guys know everything about everybody. But they're not going to talk. Whatever he did, he's still a firefighter." Walker said no disciplinary action will be considered against Davis until he has more information about the criminal matter. Chuck Majeski, a neighbor of Davis', heard the dogs barking Monday and responded by bringing them food and water once he saw they had neither. Majeski said Davis moved to the woodsy and scenic neighborhood about six months ago. For the last few months, neighbors noticed numerous vehicles showing up on a Saturday or Sunday, each carrying a dog. Majeski said he asked Davis about his visitors, and Majeski said Davis assured him that he was breeding dogs. Lubarski said the dogs will be evaluated and a few may be given to a pit-bull rescue group. "One or two were used for breeding; they maybe could be retrained," he said. Dominguez and Lubarski said the conditions at Davis’ home were exceptionally bad. "It's one of the worst cases of animal abuse I've ever seen," Dominguez said. Source:www.nbc5.com Blood,Treadmills,found in Omaha,NEB home                                                          Second Firefighter suspected in dog fighting IN    June 2,2006 Police Investigate Suicide Attempt, Find Dog-Fighting Evidence Blood, Dog Treadmills Found In Fontenelle Park Home OMAHA, Neb. -- Police on Friday uncovered what they believe is a dog-fighting operation at a home near Fontenelle Park. A call was placed to dispatchers at about 5 a.m. reporting an attempted suicide by hanging. Once inside the house, near 44th and Sprague streets, officers found evidence that dog fights had been happening inside for at least a year. "There's blood everywhere in this house," said Nebraska Humane Society Officer Mark Langan. "On the floor, the walls. We have walls in the basement coated with smeared blood, which is an indication the dogs were fighting in the basement. We have dog-fighting magazines, dog-fighting paperwork inside the address. We have a treadmill specifically designed for dogs to condition on. All things found in dog-fighting houses. Shows you what a vicious crime this is." Langan said investigators also found a list of names in the home that will fuel further investigation. Two pit bulls were removed from the home. They are malnourished and scarred. They are at the Nebraska Humane Society as officials decide whether to pursue dog-fighting charges against the owner. Neighbor R.J. Dockweiler said he never called authorities, but said he had suspicions about what was going on. "You'd hear the dogs barking, and we'd see them outside with a rag doll, basically teasing the dogs," Dockweiler said. Langan said this isn't the first or last similar case he's seen. "I had no idea it was going on when I was on the Omaha Police Department. But believe me when I tell you, Omaha has got a large dog-fighting problem." The dogs' owner is in a hospital. Humane Society officials said they plan to talk to him before they contemplate charges. Dog fighting is a felony that could carry up to five years in prison. Langan said fighting dogs, training dogs or even watching a dog fight are all felony offenses. The NHS has a dog-fighting hot line to report fights. It is 402-444-7800. Source: www.ketv.com                                  June 2,2006 ---Lake County/Gary Indiana--- Second Firefighter Suspected In Dogfight Investigation GARY, Ind. - One of the worst cases of animal abuse recently uncovered in Indiana has led police to a disturbing Web site. The site advertises specially bred pit bulls, and some critics say it all but promotes dogfights. The pit bull terriers were recovering at the Lake County, Indiana Animal Control Center on Friday. They were rescued Monday from a property on West 48th Place near Gary. The resident of the home is a Gary firefighter, Carlton Davis Jr. NBC5's Sharon Wright said the dogs were all emaciated when they were found, but very friendly, each wagging its tail at the attention. "It was like they knew that we were there to save them," said April Godra of Lake County Animal Control. "(There were) 12 pit bulls, all adult dogs. They were found staked out on chains," said Sheriff Matt Lubarski. Another disturbing development in the story came Thursday with the discovery of the Web site, MidwestMonster.com, reportedly operated by yet another Gary firefighter. The site was discovered during the investigation into alleged animal abuse on Davis' property. The Web site offers pit bull terriers for sale, and contains a statement that reads "...being a Gary firefighter, I often take a dog or two to work with me for my 24-hour shift." Both firefighters in question are assigned to the fire station in Black Oak, a section of Gary. Wright said the Gary Fire Department is working closely with the sheriff in the investigation. "We know that there are other individuals involved and that may include other firefighters," said Sheriff Roy Dominquez. Charges were expected next week in what could be the first case of illegal dogfighting in Lake County, Ind., in many years. An attorney for Davis told NBC5 that his client denies any connections with illegal dogfighting or animal abuse. Source:www.msnbc.msn.com                 Men Charged with Having Dog Kill cat. Newville PA                                                              2 men 1 woman face dog fighting charges Belleville,IL  JUNE 3,2006 NEWVILLE, Pa. - Two men had a pit bull kill a kitten in an attack captured on videotape, police said. Gavyn Metcalf, 18, of Carlisle, and Matthew Conklin, 20, of Plainfield, had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges of misdemeanor cruelty-to-animals and felony animal-fighting charges. The hearing was postponed. A 15-year-old girl who allegedly shot the video also is charged in the case. Police have charged but not arrested a third man, Ronald Airesman, 21. Authorities claim the girl obtained the kitten specifically for the attack in February from a Carlisle resident who was giving away the animal. The attack was filmed in Metcalf's basement, police said. The video shows one man knock a frightened kitten with a broomstick, a second man trying to agitate the dog and a third man watching, authorities said. Source:http://www.centredaily.com                                   Monday, June 6, 2006 COTTAGE HILLS - Three alleged dog fighters came up one chromosome short Sunday of convincing Madison County sheriff's deputies that mating pit bulls made the noises that disturbed a Cottage Hills neighborhood. Two men and a woman now are charged with dog fighting after deputies determined both injured dogs were female, Lt. John Lakin said Monday. Lakin said Sunday was the second time since March 25 that deputies discovered dog fighting at 201 Edwardsville St. in Cottage Hills. "The only time we've dealt with dog fighting recently was at the same house," Lakin said. "Now that we've had a second, they're certainly on our radar." Deputies went to the house after 8 p.m. Sunday because of an anonymous complaint. The three first told deputies the dogs were bleeding because they had become aggressive during mating. After both dogs checked out to be female, they claimed a male dog had been there and left, Lakin said. Facing the felony charge of dog fighting are Basil L. Sitzes III, 35, of 201 Edwards St.; Marcus C. Neal, 35, of 1507 Straube Lane, Brighton; and Kimberly A. Columb, 41, of 2815 Residence St., Alton. Sitzes and Neal already have charges pending in felony court for dog fighting in March. Neal kicked out a rear window of a squad car after his arrest Sunday, Lakin said. He is charged with damaging state property. Madison County Circuit Judge Charles V. Romani Jr. on Monday set bails for the three at $50,000 each. The dogs were picked up by the Madison County animal control officers. Source:www.belleville.com  Dog Owner Barks back Merriville ,IN                                                                        Alleged fights investigated Ft Meyers FL          NEWS UPDATE: June 10-2006 DOG OWNER BARKS BACK MERRILLVILLE — Gary Firefighter Carlton Davis Jr. described himself as an animal lover who treats his dogs like family. “I love my dogs. I put them almost before everything else,” Davis said Friday during a news conference at his lawyer’s office where he adamantly denied abusing his pets or using them in dog fights. Attorney Garry Weiss said his client wanted to address allegations that he operated a dog-fighting operation from his Calumet Township home. “He felt he was being attacked,” Weiss said. Lake County police seized 16 dogs and assorted evidence of alleged dog fighting at Davis’ home May 29 after a neighbor reported the animals had been left alone for days without adequate care. Animal Control workers said the dogs they encountered were in bad condition — malnourished, dehydrated and covered with scars and insect bites. Davis and Weiss offered explanations for equipment found at the house police claimed was related to fighting. “He has been a breeder for four or five years. Those are common items,” Weiss said after reporters asked about the treadmill and breeder’s stand there were seized. The bloody rug, Davis said, was used when his pets gave birth to keep the puppies off the cold ground. Garbage bags were filled with “dog poop,” Weiss said, and one family pet Davis was waiting to bury when the ground was less muddy. Davis said his dogs are all comfortable around people and aggressive around other dogs. “That’s the nature of these dogs,” he said. Detective Michelle Weaver completed her investigation earlier this week and presented the case to Lake County prosecutors, who have not filed criminal charges. Lake County Sheriff Roy Dominguez said Friday he expects charges will be filed next week, “then Mr. Davis will have an opportunity to tell his side of the story to a judge and jury.” Dominguez said Weiss sent him a letter demanding the return of Davis’ dogs, claiming there is no court order regarding temporary possession by the county. Attorney John M. Kopack responded Friday the dogs are being held as evidence during the investigation. Kopack said the sheriff at the conclusion of the case will seek “full reimbursement” for the cost to taxpayers for care of the dogs. Neither Dominguez nor Weaver returned telephone messages asking them to respond to Weiss’s assertion only one dead dog was found on the property. Davis, who was out of town when police seized his dogs, said he returned to work this week at Fire Station 13 after extending his vacation for several days after the raid. “It makes my whole department look bad. Everybody’s looking at me,” Davis said. Davis said a trusted friend, Wilbert Davis, fed his dogs every day while he was out of town. “My dogs are healthy. I don’t feed them to be fat,” he said. Wilbert Davis, no relation to the firefighter, said he was at his friend’s home when police arrived with a search warrant and ordered him off the property. One animal with a dog bite was injured by his friend’s pet, Davis said. He said he made a police report and the friend’s dog was impounded for 10 days. “We know they don’t have any evidence,” Weiss said. “This is much to do about nothing.” Source:www.post-trib.com                                   June 14, 2006 Fort Myers Florida No arrests made in dog case Alleged fights Investigated More than three weeks after deputies uncovered an apparent dogfighting operation in Charleston Park, investigators are still looking into the case and no arrests have been made, according to sheriff's officials. "It's actively being investigated," Lee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Larry King said. "A lot more work goes behind these things than people realize." Deputies found the 23 pit bulls, apparently bred for fighting, after a 10-year-old boy was bitten in the hand by one of the dogs on May 19. The dogs were seized in May and will likely be euthanized, but because it's a criminal case, taking legal possession of the dogs could take weeks or months, said Rita Brown, spokeswoman for Lee County Animal Services. County animal workers are taking care of the pit bulls at the animal services facility on Banner Drive in south Fort Myers. Lance Raiche, field operations manager for animal services, said there are numerous scars consistent with fighting on some of the dogs. Sheriff's and animal services investigators responded May 19 after a 10-year-old boy was allegedly bitten on the hand by a red-nosed pit bull that was in the yard at 16911 First St. in Charleston Park. According to a sheriff's report, Gracil Ryals of Alva brought her 10-year-old son, Terrence Harrison, to Lehigh Regional Medical Center that day after he was bitten by the dog. He was playing with other children at a home in Charleston Park. Investigators went looking for the dog and later seized 23 dogs and fighting equipment on the property, including treadmills and a spring post with a flat basketball attached to strengthen a dog's neck and jaws. Possession of that equipment is a felony, Brown said. According to sheriff's reports, Andrew Pew, 42, lives at the house. Pew did not return messages seeking comment, but his longtime friend, Tony Neal, 40, of Fort Myers said animal services went too far by taking all the dogs away. "Most of the dogs they took from this man are harmless in the community's eyes," said Neal, who has known Pew since 1979. "He's just known for taking care of injured dogs in the neighborhood. If he was breeding dogs for fighting, people would have called the police a long time ago." The treadmills were used to exercise some of the dogs because he couldn't run them every day, Neal said. The dogs were not starved or neglected, he said. Meanwhile, the youngest dog seized likely is the only one that could be put up for adoption, Brown said. "The ancestors are all fighting dogs," Brown said. "You can't undo what's been done to these dogs." Source:www.news-press.com

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