Largest Dog Fighting Ring In U.S. Broken
Here is some breaking news about what may possibly be the largest dog fighting ring in the U.S. to date.
Largest Dog Fighting Operation in U.S. History Raided by State & Federal Agencies With Assistance From ASPCA
ASPCA Dispatches Forensics, Vet Care and Behavior Evaluation Teams to Sites in Missouri, Illinois
NEW YORK, July 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — What is believed to be the largest dog fighting operation in U.S. history was raided early Wednesday in an effort that included federal and state agencies, with the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) assisting.
At the request of the Humane Society of Missouri, the ASPCA, along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, The U.S. Marshals Service and the United States Attorney, is collaborating in the rescue, veterinary care, and forensics evidence collection of dogs associated with multiple suspected dog fighting operations. The ASPCA will also be assisting in behavior evaluations of the dogs.
The dog fighting operation is believed to have spanned five states and included arrests in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Texas and Oklahoma. Dogs are being safely transported to a secure facility under the direction of the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force, where they will be cared for until final disposition is determined by the United States District Court.
“The ASPCA is determined to protect its nation’s pets from dog fighting and other forms of brutality,” said ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. “Animal cruelty cannot be tolerated, and we are proud to lend our support to federal and local agencies to ensure that these abusers are brought to justice.”
The ASPCA is collecting evidence for the prosecution of the criminal case, as well as lending the services of its special forensic cruelty investigation team, comprised of disaster animal rescuers, field service investigators, and Dr. Melinda Merck, the nation’s premier forensic veterinarian. More than a dozen responders from the ASPCA’s Disaster Response team are in the field, along with the ASPCA’s “Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit,” a critical tool in the collection and processing of evidence at crime scenes. The CSI unit brings both state-of-the-art forensics tools and expertise to crime scenes and is outfitted with medical equipment tailored for animal patients.
“The ASPCA’s Mobile Animal CSI unit is an important component in the effort against animal cruelty,” said Laura Maloney, Senior Vice President of Anti-Cruelty Initiatives for the ASPCA. “This technology allows the ASPCA to strengthen cases against animal abusers and seek justice for their victims.”
Stay tuned…..I will continually post updates as more information on this case is released. To read more about the history of dog fighting and what you can do to help go to the ASPCA’s website.
* Photo from ASPCA site
Heartened to see some of the good the ASPCA does on a daily basis brought to light. Too many times the A is lumped into the same category as radical animal rights groups like PETA, when nothing could be farther from the truth.
I agree with Dixie’s Mom. The ASPCA does SO much good and is REALLY on the side of the animals.
I’m glad to see that this ring has finally been broken! Although, it does break my heart to think of the hell that all of the dogs – past and present – have gone through in the hands of the monsters behind the ring
I HATE when people fight animals.I wish I can be a animal cop! But right now I am a person who just does a different job! I am going to stop animal cruelty!
I’m so glad that someone is finally doing something! The ASPCA is stepping up and showing people that we need to clean up the way people treat animals. I hope whoever did this gets caught. Pitbulls aren’t bad dogs, it’s the people who are rotten.
Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This deplorable form of animal torture has to be stopped!!! Thank you ASPCA!!! I don’t understand the mindset of people who do this, it’s just sad. They have obviously never loved a dog and you have to wonder if they have love in their hearts at all.
I’m glad to see justice for these amazing dogs. Its a shame that there aren’t tougher laws for this sort of inhuman debauchery. Dog fighting needs to stop..these dogs deserve loving and caring homes. For Pitbulls this is two victories. The NYC law that prohibits dogs in Section 8 housing will surely help with these amazing animals from getting into the wrong hands. The next thing we need to do is stop banning breeds. There are only bad owners not bad dogs. We don’t ban races or creeds of people, we shouldn’t for dogs either.
A victory for the dogs! Thank you ASPCA.
Way to go ASPCA!! I pray all those dogs who were mistreated, get the well deserved rehabilitation and eventually get adopted to their forever, loving homes!!
OUTSTANDING work, ASPCA! I’m so glad for the poor dogs. May they only know peace, gentleness and love from here on out.
Very much an example of it’s bad people & not bad breeds & what the dogs are trained to do & how they’re trained. Worried about the fight dogs though & hope that as many as possible can be rehabilitated and worry about those that are lost to us already and hope that they work hard to save as many as possible and don’t give up on them too quickly. Does keep future dogs from this fate in these states or let us all hope but this is an ongoing battle to keep these rings down and to send a public message that this sort of brutality will not be tolerated.
I’m so glad to see the ASPCA broke up the dog fighting ring!!! This is so exciting and heartbreaking at the same time. Those poor dogs that had to fight. I really get so disgusted with the human race sometimes. I just don’t understand how some people can be so cruel. I worry so much about Daisy and Ashley being healthy and happy and am I giving them enough attention and exercise, etc. then you have idiots that pay to see dog fighting. I breaks my heart.
5 states is totally ridiculous.
As a proud pit fan (I volunteer at a shelter with three unpapered purebreds and a parti…including one who likes to have her butt scratched
) this is great as a victory, though terrible for the animals before this happened. People will see that it is the people that inflict this cruelty on them and make them fight.
Before giving credit to the ASPCA and labeling this a “resuce” let’s watch and see what is done to the dogs. The ASPCA has a long history of defending unnecessary shelter killing and advocating for the death of dogs victimized in dog fighting as does the HSUS. I pray that these dogs will be given a chance for a new life.
The ASPCA, HSUS, and PETA (yes… them too!) are all remarkable organizations. I am saddened that the state of Illinois was listed in this raid. I went to several sites to see what IL cities were the target areas. I did not find any listed. I do know that the more central and southern areas of the state seem to have a more significant problem with dog fighting. The ASPCA needs to keep it up until dog fighting is completely eliminated.
I am from Iowa. One of the people that did this was a dog trainer. Another one was a school teacher and coach . . . sad!
http://www.kcci.com/news/19993452/detail.html
It’s great that they are going after them. I will have to see what is going to happen.
Thank you ASPCA. Dog fighting is a largely hidden form of animal abuse. Without high profile people, like in the Vicks case, many people are blind to the horror of this so called sport!
Thank goodness for all the organizations who make it their calling to find, intervene, and prosecute those who are involved. Doesn’t matter what punishment they receive – it will never be enough to make up for the harm they have inflicted.
I think they should be punished maybe even the death penalty! I don’t care if that’s harsh. I hate everyone involved with dog fighting unless they are trying to stop it. I’m glad to see that the ASPCA is doing something to stop all this dog fighting and I will try to help in any way possible.
Please send letters and financial support to the Humane Society of Missouri. They are currently housing all the rescued dogs and I’ve read the intend to evaluate the dogs for possible adoption and not automatically recommend they are killed. The final decision is up to the judge but the Humane Societies opinion will have a lot of sway. Lets lets them know we support their effort to give these dogs a chance to live and give them the financial support to make it happen.
I hope they run these ppl. thur the dirt like the did to Mike Vick… this is sooo sad.
Thank you ASPCA!
The Humane Society of Missouri is providing shelter for these animals. http://www.hsmo.org
That is awful. How could humans that are supposed to be our best friends do something like that? Well I hope justice serves them right. We deserve to be treated good, like a man’s best friend.
It is about time that someone really digs into these kinds of things. Personally I think that the people that are participating in these kinds of things, betters and owners, should be stripped naked and put into the ring without anything to protect themselves with and have the dogs turned loose on them to get their revenge. But, I don’t suppose that will happen. They will just get a slap on the wrist, maybe some time in prison, that the tax payers will have to support, and or a fine. Then they will get out and look for another place that will turn a blind eye to them starting all over. And the dogs and other small animals that they use for bait and training will still suffer still. A GOOD example needs to be set for these evil people. Just my opinion.
P.S. Thanks to all that do try to stop this sort of thing!
i give more credit to the other law enforcement agencies than the ASPCA. i am sitting here wondering just how many dogs that will actually be given a second chance. i really agree to Colleen from a previous post. the ASPCA really isnt as great as everyone makes them out to be, what they make themselves out to be. sure they get these animals out of abusive situations but i bet at least half, if not MORE of the animals they “save” are immediately put down! probably about half of those put down could have been helped! simple problems that with a little bit of TIME and DEDICATION could be helped and adopted out within a couple months and the animal would TRULY get a second chance at a life they never had. i cant tell you how many dogs get rescued that have sweet tempers, loving and then they turn out to have a mild case of food aggression… hmm could this possibly be because they were STARVING previously???? i mean, honestly! if you hadnt eaten in weeks and were finally given a plate of food, would you give it up just like that? food aggression, with time and effort, is an easy fix, it doesnt have to end with the dog being put down. if the ASPCA cant find the time and devotion to help them through these problems, at least send the animal to someone that can! im sorry to say, but the ASPCA really isnt all that great… =/
Don’t be so quick to applaud the ASPCA, HSUS, etc. quite yet.
Many in the pit bull advocate world are watching this case very closely. There have been negative statements made by Wayne Pacelle that are leaving many people fearful that a majority of these dogs may be put down. Yes, its good they are stopping the dog fighting rings but they must seriously improve the way they handle the seized dogs in these cases. HSUS promised that they would evaluate dogs individually and that is great if they do this BUT…..the HSUS also needs to get off their big fat collective butts and solve the issue of where these dogs go that are approved to be released. Dogs may be evaluated and approved for release to appropriate rescues but bottom line is if the dogs have nowhere to go they still get put down. The decision is also still up to the courts involved. The HSUS, ASPCA, etc. can only make recommendations. If the HSUS botches this case like they did the case in North Carolina a few months ago they will see the true wrath of pit bull advocates like they have never seen before.
We were horrified when we heard the news about the dog fighting ring! We live only 45 miles away from one of the places. How shameful that my own state has this going on. I hope these people are punished to the full extent of the law. Dog fighting, animal abuse and puppy mills ALL must GO!
Thanks to all who broke this ring! May all of these dogs be retrained and found good and loving homes. May the criminals be prosecuted!
To see busts like this is so welcomed, yet even this is just a tip of an iceburg.
Look what happened to Michael Vick. Sure he lost his position in pro football, but now is thinking of being a talk show host. (boooo! I won’t watch!)
What I’m saying is the PENALTY for these crimes needs to be BIG TIME, both fined and jailed with ZERO % they ever be allowed a pet again FOR LIFE!
But with every saved dog we pray a sweet Amen.
THANKS TO ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPED….YOU MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE….
The propensity for cruelty toward animals absolutely amazes. My hope is these pups are assessed and rehabbed and end when the pups are adopted into loving, responsible homes. When that occurs, it’ll accomplish the true goals and deserved positive public relations for the ASPCA.
Hopefully, the aggregious errors and unnecessary euthanization of the many Michael Vick dogs will not be repeated in this case.
“The ASPCA, HSUS, and PETA (yes… them too!) are all remarkable organizations.”
I just can not lump a good organization like the ASPCA with the likes of PETA, it is a true insult to any animal lover especially a dog owner to represent PETA in anything dog friendly.
Thank you ASPCA and all of the officers that took part in the crackdown on this ring.