LuvinBullies
09-12-2006, 11:09 AM
This is from the Erie Times News...
6 dogs found dead
Pit bulls' wounds 'look consistent with animals fighting'
The little pit bull tied to the tree, limping on a broken leg, was
one of the lucky ones.
It survived.
Monday evening, police and animal enforcement officers pulled six
dead pit bulls from the backyard of 702 E. 21st St. as part of an
investigation into a possible dog-fighting operation.
Nine other pit bulls were either taken to Summit Pet Hospital for
immediate treatment or were being held at the Humane Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania.
"Having been involved in other dog-fighting cases, these wounds look
consistent with animals fighting," Erie County District Attorney
Brad Foulk said. "Whether they were wagering (on the fights) remains
to be seen."
A caller tipped off his office to the hurt animals, Foulk said. Erie
County detectives and Erie police still were trying to sort out whom
the 15 dogs belong to before deciding what, if any, charges to file,
he said.
Foulk said Monday night he asked that none of the dogs be euthanized.
Twenty-year-old Shawn Russell, the owner of the home, was
cooperating with officers, but said he had no knowledge of any
dogfights taking place there.
Russell said he doesn't live at the home, but is fixing it up to
turn it into a rental property. He said he leaves the four dogs he
owns in the care of a friend who visits the house. It was unclear
who owns the other dogs found on the property.
Asked about their injuries, Russell speculated that children who
live in the neighborhood could have hurt them. The children take the
dogs, which Russell said he sells, only to return them later for
reward money, he said.
"I'm just a young black man trying to make some money selling dogs,"
Russell said. "I don't know anything about dog fighting."
While officers lifted the dead dogs into black plastic bags, an
injured dog let out a low growl from its cage in the back of a white
City of Erie animalenforcement van. The dog with the broken front
leg wagged its tail when an officer brought it what appeared to be a
bowl of either food or water.
"They're docile," Foulk said.
Depending on what the investigation uncovers, the owners of the dogs
could face charges of animal cruelty or animal fighting, felonies
punishable by up to five years in prison, Foulk said.
"This is not the first time I have seen this," he said. "To say that
it is beyond my comprehension that dogs or any animal could be
treated this way is putting it mildly.
"If you think in the county that you're going to fight dogs, wrong,"
Foulk continued. "Wrong, wrong, wrong. It's not going to happen
here."
By ERICA ERWIN
erica.erwin@timesnews.com (erica.erwin%40timesnews.com)
The good news is the town lynch mob (HSUS) hasn't dropped out of their tree huts, swooped up the dogs to deliver them to their certain demise (yet). I find it a pleasant surprise the DA has asked for NONE of the dogs to be euthanized.
(erica.erwin%40timesnews.com)
6 dogs found dead
Pit bulls' wounds 'look consistent with animals fighting'
The little pit bull tied to the tree, limping on a broken leg, was
one of the lucky ones.
It survived.
Monday evening, police and animal enforcement officers pulled six
dead pit bulls from the backyard of 702 E. 21st St. as part of an
investigation into a possible dog-fighting operation.
Nine other pit bulls were either taken to Summit Pet Hospital for
immediate treatment or were being held at the Humane Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania.
"Having been involved in other dog-fighting cases, these wounds look
consistent with animals fighting," Erie County District Attorney
Brad Foulk said. "Whether they were wagering (on the fights) remains
to be seen."
A caller tipped off his office to the hurt animals, Foulk said. Erie
County detectives and Erie police still were trying to sort out whom
the 15 dogs belong to before deciding what, if any, charges to file,
he said.
Foulk said Monday night he asked that none of the dogs be euthanized.
Twenty-year-old Shawn Russell, the owner of the home, was
cooperating with officers, but said he had no knowledge of any
dogfights taking place there.
Russell said he doesn't live at the home, but is fixing it up to
turn it into a rental property. He said he leaves the four dogs he
owns in the care of a friend who visits the house. It was unclear
who owns the other dogs found on the property.
Asked about their injuries, Russell speculated that children who
live in the neighborhood could have hurt them. The children take the
dogs, which Russell said he sells, only to return them later for
reward money, he said.
"I'm just a young black man trying to make some money selling dogs,"
Russell said. "I don't know anything about dog fighting."
While officers lifted the dead dogs into black plastic bags, an
injured dog let out a low growl from its cage in the back of a white
City of Erie animalenforcement van. The dog with the broken front
leg wagged its tail when an officer brought it what appeared to be a
bowl of either food or water.
"They're docile," Foulk said.
Depending on what the investigation uncovers, the owners of the dogs
could face charges of animal cruelty or animal fighting, felonies
punishable by up to five years in prison, Foulk said.
"This is not the first time I have seen this," he said. "To say that
it is beyond my comprehension that dogs or any animal could be
treated this way is putting it mildly.
"If you think in the county that you're going to fight dogs, wrong,"
Foulk continued. "Wrong, wrong, wrong. It's not going to happen
here."
By ERICA ERWIN
erica.erwin@timesnews.com (erica.erwin%40timesnews.com)
The good news is the town lynch mob (HSUS) hasn't dropped out of their tree huts, swooped up the dogs to deliver them to their certain demise (yet). I find it a pleasant surprise the DA has asked for NONE of the dogs to be euthanized.
(erica.erwin%40timesnews.com)