Dog-fighting - 8 dogs seized
Chicago, IL (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Jul 5, 2007
County: Cook
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Linda Johnston
» Larry Haynes
» juvenile male
Using a different strategy to combat suspected gang activity, Chicago police said Thursday they searched a Southwest Side home and arrested three individuals on suspicion of dogfighting.
The arrests were carried out by the eight-member animal crimes unit, which since November, has had a goal of stepping up hunts for gang-related dogfighting.
The high-stake wagers placed on the fights are especially appealing to gang members, said unit Officer Tom Barker.
Since the beginning of the year, at least 300 dogs have been confiscated by the unit, he said. The majority were pit bull terriers that showed signs of being used as fighting dogs, officers said.
More than a dozen individuals have been charged this year with felony dogfighting, police said.
Studies show that people who abuse animals are more likely to hurt people, said Cmdr. Wayne Gulliford, head of the special operations section, which overseas the animal crimes unit. The unit's job is to address aggravated batteries, homicides and gang activities by fighting the mistreatment of animals, he said.
"This is a focused deployment," Gulliford said. "The search warrant to address the animal abuse is another tool. It does get us into their homes."
Thursday, Linda Johnston, 27, Larry Haynes, 21, and a 16-year-old boy were charged with one count of animal cruelty and one count of owning an animal for sport fighting, both misdemeanors. All three told officers they lived in the house, which had the initials "GDN" by the front door. Police said they believe "GDN" stands for a local gang.
A search warrant was obtained for the house in the 12000 block of South Lafayette Avenue after police received numerous complaints from community members -- from barking to dogfighting. In the garage, a pit bull was found tied to a treadmill, with no access to food or water, officers said. Several other dogs, including four puppies locked in the basement , were found in a similar situation.
Pieces of plywood jutting up from either side of the treadmill's conveyor belt formed the walls of a makeshift exercise cage. A leather leash tied fighting dogs to the machine; the technique is used to build endurance, officers said.
"It's like blinders on a horse," Officer James Conlan said.
Eight dogs, including the one found tied to the treadmill, were confiscated by Animal Care and Control, Barker said. Another, which was in the living room, was fatally shot when it attacked SWAT team members.
Most of the dogs were found in the basement, surrounded by feces and urine, Barker said.
Johnnie Jones, 86, who lives next door, said the dogs bark all night.
One neighbor said her children are scared of the dogs, which bark loudly whenever someone passes the house, which is located on a corner.
"There is one that gets out a lot," Ashia Long said. "It was pretty beat up and bleeding." References
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