I hope they lock these people up and throw away the keys. One nursing mother with days old puppies had no water or food.

ASPCA: 367 dogs rescued from 'horrendous conditions' in Alabama, Georgia

Nearly 370 pit bulls were rescued during a federal dog fighting raid in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia on Friday following a three-year investigation.

Authorities say it is the second –largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history.

U.S. Attorney George Beck, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of the United States, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Auburn Police Department and others announced the raid of the multi-state dog fighting ring at a press conference this morning.

The raid was the result of a three-year investigation started by Auburn Police. The investigation remains ongoing.


Tim Rickey, vice president of field investigations and response for the ASPCA, called the raid a "monumental event."

He said 260 of the pit bulls were rescued on Friday alone at 13 properties.


“The conditions were consistent of what we see in other illegal dog fighting rings,” he said, adding that the dogs were living in” horrendous conditions,” the majority tethered to heavy chains. They were infested with fleas and had no fresh water or food.


Many of the dogs had wounds, scars or other conditions consistent with dog fighting, Rickey said.

He said the dogs are now being taken care of in undisclosed shelters. The seized dogs are estimated to range in age from just several days old to 10-12 years.

Authorities didn't release what was recovered and each county involved in the state of Alabama.


Beck said the investigation is about more than the inhumane treatment of dogs.

“It is also the sad commentary, I think, on our affluent society who has to have this underground culture and indulgence of violence that we also see spreading over onto on streets and into our homes,” he said.

Twelve suspects were arrested following the execution of 13 search warrants on a 30-count indictment that between 2009 and 2013, the suspects conspired to promote and sponsor dog fights, and conspired to possess, buy, sell, transport and deliver dogs that were involved in dog fighting, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama released.

The indictment also charges the suspects with promoting or sponsoring a dog fight and with possessing, buying, selling, transporting and delivering a dog for fighting purposes. Additional charges also relate to conducting an illegal gambling business.

The following suspects were arrested: Donnie Anderson, 48, of Auburn; Demontt Allen, 37, of Houston, Texas; William Antone Edwards, 42, of Brantley; William Oneil Edwards, 39, of Elba; Robin Stinson, 40, of Elba; Michael Martin, 54, of Auburn; Lawrence Watford, 35, of Adel, Ga.; Ricky Van Le, 24, of Biloxi, Miss.; David Sellers, 52, of Opelika; Sandy Brown, 47, Brownsville; Carlton Tippens, of Georgia; and Irkis Forrest, of Theodore.



“These defendants were betting between $5,000 and $200,000 on one dog fight,” Beck said. “The number of dogs seized and the amount of money involved this in case shows how extensive this underworld of dog fighting is. These dog fighters abuse, starve and kill their dogs for the supposed ‘fun’ of watching and gambling on a dog fight. Their behavior is deplorable, will not be tolerated, and will be punished to the full extent of the law.”

In addition to dogs, federal and local officials seized firearms and drugs, as well as more than $500,000 in cash from dog fighting gambling activities that took place over the course of the investigation.

Remains of dead animals were discovered on some properties where dogs were housed.

Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton said he appreciates the help of the FBI into the investigation and working to save these animals that can't speak for themselves.


"I think we have spoken for them," he said.

Sutton said they are sending this message.

"If you are going to do the crime, then we are going to come and get ya."

http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2013/08/3 ... d-lar.html

Disgusting. Lots of disgusting stuff. Did you read about the Romanian princess at the heart of a cockfighting ring in Oregon?

No, I didn't hear about that, but looked it up. These people who do such things are psychopaths, imo.

Last night I saw a story about a big cat roaming Detroit. It was a savannah cat around 25 pounds. I knew as soon as I saw that story someone would shoot it. People just like to kill things.

They found it dead thrown in the trash today.