Twelve dogs seized, abandoned from fighting ring
Ashland City, TN (US)

Incident Date: Sunday, Dec 14, 2008
County: Cheatham

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Stoney McMinnis

Police and Animal Control swarmed an Ashland City home Sunday night, pulling out one dog after another.

It's believed the dogs' owners were evicted, and sheriff's deputies, Animal Control and a county commissioner found 12 pit bulls left behind inside the home and in the back yard.

Pit bulls were chained in the Cheatham County back yard, small puppies so malnourished their ribs were visible, and the remains of dead dogs were carried away in garbage bags.

County Commissioner David Davidson said there were three dead dogs and nine living dogs, and one of the dogs had killed another.

Davidson said the dogs were abandoned after Stoney McMinnis, one of the owners, was laid off and the electricity was cut off. McMinnis was arrested Monday.

Davidson believes the dogs were being used in a dogfighting ring, because the animals have scars on their faces as though they've been in fights.

The dogs were taken to Cheatham County Animal Control, and the vet was scheduled to examine them Monday.

References

• NBC 4 - Dec 15, 2008

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