Dog fighting
North Charleston, SC (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2003
County: Charleston
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Keitisha Raynor
A woman is accused of owning dogs for fighting after injured pit bulls found, some of their wounds measuring 2 inches deep and were obviously fresh. The pit bulls' owner maintained her dogs had only been fighting among themselves and that she couldn't control them, said Deputy Theresa Rhom of the Charleston County Sheriff's animal control unit.
Now, the owner, 29-year-old Keitisha Raynor of North Charleston is under arrest and charged with three counts of owning animals for fighting. A conviction on a first offense could mean three years in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Fighting dogs for sport has been widespread in Charleston County for many years, but the number of incidents has increased substantially over the past five, said Rhom.
She attributes the spike to the way some regard pit bulls as status symbols and said owners fight the dogs almost anywhere.
"They've done it in schoolyards, in woods, in people's backyards," she said. "You name it -- any place that's secluded and out of the way."
In response to a tip she received from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on May 13, Rhom paid a visit to Raynor's North Charleston home. What she found there disgusted her, she said.
She said she found pit bulls living in cages outside Raynor's home covered with old and new wounds, scratches that had scabbed over, and new gashes that had never been treated.
All told, deputies took seven adult pit bulls and 11 puppies from Raynor on May 15. A few of the dogs will have to be destroyed, said Rhom.
"All of the adults had both old and new injuries. Two of the animals had hunks of flesh missing," said sheriff's spokeswoman Capt. Dana Valentine.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Raynor May 22 at a morning custody hearing for the dogs. Magistrate Jack Guedalia set bail at $30,000 with the stipulation that Raynor not be allowed to own any pets if set free. References« SC State Animal Cruelty Map
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