MS: Suspected dog fighting operation discovered in Rankin County

Suspected dog fighting operation discovered in Rankin County
WAPT Updated: 10:38 AM CDT Aug 14, 2017
19 dogs involved, man charged with several violations


RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. —Rankin County Sheriff's Deputies arrested a man in a suspected dog fighting ring.

Deputies were called to a home in the Live Oaks neighborhood after getting complaints about the conditions of the dogs at the home.
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Authorities arrested Anton Jerome Clayborne, 39, after deputies found 19 dogs most of them in heavy chains attached to axles buried in the ground.

Investigators said they found Staffordshire Terriers along with paraphernalia and training equipment like treadmills and slat mills.

"They were on heavy chains, in wire cages with no water. Some of them have weights around their collars. And some of the chains were as heavy as the dog," Lt. Ken Sullivan with the Rankin County Sheriff's Department said.

The dogs were taken to a secret location where they were receiving medical attention be examined, authorities said.

Clayborne has been charged with felony dog fighting, animal cruelty and numerous other violations. He is expected in court Tuesday and will face Judge Kent McDaniel.

COPY OF TRANSCRIPT:

WEBVTT BODYWORRIED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF ANEIGHBOR'S DOGS.FROM THE OUSIDE LOOKING IN ATTHIS HOME IN THE QUIET LIVE OAKSUBDIVISION, THERE WERE NOOBVIOUS INDICATIONS OF SOMETHINGPOSSIBLY ARY.>> THOSE ARE CALLED BREAK STICKSTHEN IF YOUR DOG GETS INJUREDYOU NEED YOUR PENICILLIN YOURANTIBIOTICS.SCOTT: THAT IS, UNTIL A TIP LEDRANKIN COUNTY INVESTIGATORS TOGO INSIDE.THEY SAY THEY DISCOVERED19 DOGS, MOSTLY STAFFORDSHIRETERRIERS AND SIGNS, THEY SAY, OFA DOG FIGHTING OPERATION.>> THEY WERE ON HEAVY CHAINS, INWIRE CAGES WITH NO WATER.SOME OF THEM HAVE WEIGHTS AROUNDTHEIR COLLARS AND SOME OF THECHAINS WERE AS HEAVY AS THE DOG.SCOTT: DEPUTIES ARRESTED ANTONJEROME CLAYBORNE, CHARGING HIMWITH FELONY DOG FIGHTING, ANIMALCRUELTY, AND NUMEROUS OTHERVIOLATIONS.AUTHORITIES SAY THE HOME WAS SETUP AS FULL FLEDGED DOG-TRAININGGYM.EVEN TREADMILLS TO NOT ONLYSTRENGTHEN THE ANIMALS BUT MAKETHEM LOSE WEIGHT>> YOU PUT A HARNESS ON THE DOG,THE TEST THE DOG, PUT THEM ONHERE, WHEN THEY START WALKING,IT SPINS.SOME PEOPLE EVEN PUT MIRRORS INFRONT OF THEM SO THEY SEETHEMSELVES.YOU LEAVE THEM ON THERE FOR FOURHOURS.SCOT INVESTIGATORS SAY THEREWERE STEROIDS AND WEIGHT GAINSUPPLEMENTS, EVIDENCE THEYNEEDED TO PRESS CHARGES.THEY WERE ALL TRANSPORTED TO A


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