FL: 5 arrested on dog fighting charges in Escambia County

5 arrested on dog fighting charges
From staff reports, pnj.com 10:28 p.m. CDT August 19, 2015


Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday arrested five men on charges of dog fighting, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

According to the release, deputies responded to the 3800 block of Moreno Street on Tuesday afternoon in reference to a report of possible dog fighting. Five individuals — Kawaun Smith, 25; Donald Gaston, 26; Roderick Foster 28; Derric Kitt, 28; and Eric Kitt, 28 — were taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies observed several males and multiple dogs on the side of the residence and in the backyard area, an arrest report said. Several of the dogs had heavy chains attached to their collars, and one pit bull was reportedly bleeding from the face and dragging a heavy board from its collar.

The deputies observed a shed in the back that the suspects later confessed was used for dog fighting, the report said. There was blood on the outside of the shed, and inside the shed deputies found another pit bull that was bleeding from the face and head.

Nine dogs were taken from the scene — five adult pit bulls, two female pit bull puppies, a German shepherd and a rottweiler — and all of them except for the two puppies had to be euthanized.

Amanda Taft, a spokesperson for Escambia County, said all of the adult pit bulls were in deplorable condition.

“They had severe lacerations,” she said. “One was missing most of its tongue. There was another where the side of its mouth was ripped open all the way up its face.

Taft said all the adult pit bulls — the dogs used in fights — and one of the puppies had their ears cut off with scissors, a home-brew operation that is reportedly done to make it harder for the dogs to grab each other.

The German shepherd and rottweiler were used as guard dogs to ward people away from the operation, and they were very aggressive toward humans, Taft said. She said it was sad that the dogs had to be euthanized, but space issues at the animal shelter and the vicious nature of the dogs made the procedure a necessity.

“They were trained to kill,” she said. “They weren’t safe to be adopted, and they never would have been.”

Taft said the two juvenile pit bulls had not been yet been introduced to the violence, and would be eligible for adoption.

All five of the men arrested in the case were charged with nine counts of animal cruelty and two counts animal fighting. In addition, Smith — the reported resident of the home — was charged with three counts possession of a firearm by a felon after a rifle, handgun and shotgun were found on the premises.

Eric Kitt is held on $52,500 bond, Smith is being held on $49,000 bond and Gaston and Foster are both being held on $19,000 bonds.

Derric Kitt was released from Escambia County Jail on $19,000 bond Wednesday.

5 arrested on dog fighting charges