Dog-fighting - 4 dogs seized
Belcher, KY (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Sep 3, 2009
County: Pike
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available
Alleged:
» Mikey Belcher
» Todd Martin
» Crystal Potter-Martin
» Christopher K. Meade
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Arrests are pending and four dogs have been seized by animal control officers after investigators found a possible dogfighting operation in the Ferrells Creek area.
The dogs all have multiple bite marks and injuries, and someone had filed the back teeth of one of the dogs to make them sharper. Three of the dogs may possibly be adoptable, officials said, while one will have to be euthanized because it is too aggressive.
Hall said the investigation into the incidents is ongoing and more arrests are possible.
"There has to be some organization," Hall said. "We want to stop this from getting more organized than it already is."
The county attorney's office, he said, will take the charges very seriously.
"Any time there's a pit bull with any injury and the person doesn't seek medical assistance, there's going to be arrests," Hall said. "When a pit bull's been injured, everybody know's what's happened. We're going to lock up even the people who are at the fights."
Hall said while investigators do not know how many of these fights are going on, he is surprised they are occurring.
"I'm shocked," he said. "I did not know this was going on."
Pike County Humane Society President Donna Stratton said one of the adoptable dogs, named King, has been used as "bait" for the fighting dogs, and is healing from multiple injuries. Bait dogs are typically used by dogfighters to gauge another dog's aggressiveness by allowing the bait dog to be attacked, but not fight back.
However, she said that, despite King's history, he still craves affection from people.
King, she said, "did nothing to deserve what happened to him."
The nature of the dogfights, she said, reveal the vicious natures of the people participating.
"If they'll do this to an animal, what will they do to their children?" she said. "We need to put a stop to it."
In Kentucky, possession of a fighting dog or actually fighting the dogs is a felony offense. Being a spectator at a fight is a misdemeanor.
Anyone with information on possible dog fights or breeding dogs for fighting is asked to contact the Pike County Animal Shelter at, 432-6294, or the humane society at, 432-4951.
Case UpdatesOne of three men wanted for allegedly being involved in a dogfighting ring in Pike County has been arrested.
According to court documents, Christopher K. Meade, 18, of Abner Fork Road, Belcher, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in Pikeville by Pike County Sheriff’s Deputy Tolbert Ratliff, and was lodged in the Pike County Detention Center. Meade was charged with a felony count of first-degree cruelty to animals in connection with the investigation
Officials said the investigation which resulted in Meade’s arrest began with an e-mailed tip earlier this month.
According to the arrest warrant, on Aug. 30, Meade intentionally owned and fought a pitbull at an abandoned mine site called “Middle Field” at Ferrells Creek, then gave the dog to someone else after the fight.
Last week, animal control officers seized four dogs believed to have been used in dog fighting at Middle Field, and issued three warrants for individuals believed to be involved.
The dogs all have multiple bite marks and injuries, and someone had filed the back teeth of one of the dogs to make them sharper. Three of the dogs may possibly be adoptable, officials said, while one will have to be euthanized because it is too aggressive.
Pike County Attorney Howard Keith Hall said the investigation into the dog fights is ongoing.
“We’re gathering evidence and looking at the possibility of other cases,” he said. “We will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Hall said his office will work with Pike Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Bartley as the cases move through the system.
The charge against Meade of first-degree cruelty to animals is a class D felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Meade was released from the Pike County Detention Center after posting bond, court documents said, and is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge Sept. 23.
Anyone with information on possible dog fights or information on individuals who may be breeding dogs for fighting is asked to contact the Pike County Animal Shelter at, 432-6294, or the humane society at, 432-4951. | Source: Appalacian News Express - Sep 24, 2009
Update posted on Sep 25, 2009 - 1:08AM |
Pike County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Mikey Belcher, 18, Todd Martin, 18, and Crystal Potter-Martin, 27, all of Draffin, and charged them with second-degree cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor.
The three have been accused of being involved in dogfighting which officials said occurred at an abandoned mine site called “Middle Field” at Ferrells Creek.
According to the arrest warrants, on Aug. 30, Belcher intentionally failed to seek veterinary attention after taking custody of a fighting pit bull.
Court documents said that, on the same day, Crystal Potter-Martin and Todd Martin were in possession of a “very aggressive fighting pit bull that had numerous fresh wounds five to seven days old.”
The dog, according to the warrants, also had multiple scar tissue wounds.
A fourth man, Christopher K. Meade, 18, of Abner Fork Road, Belcher, was arrested last week and charged with felony cruelty to animals. According to court documents in that case, Meade owned and fought a fighting pitbull on Aug. 30 and turned it over to Belcher after the dog lost a fight.
All four are scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 23
The cases stem from an investigation launched by animal control officers after they received a tip earlier this month.
Four dogs have been seized as a result of the investigation. The dogs all have multiple bite marks and injuries, and someone filed the back teeth of one of the dogs to make them sharper, officials said.
Melvin Sayers, chief deputy with the Pike County Sheriff’s Department said the investigation into the case is ongoing.
“There still possibly could be some more people arrested,” Sayers said.
Anyone with information on possible dog fights or information on individuals who may be breeding dogs for fighting is asked to contact the Pike County Animal Shelter at, 432-6294, or the humane society at, 432-4951.
Meade is facing a class D felony, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The others are facing a class A misdemeanor charge, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail. | Source: Appalacian News Express - Sep 16, 2009
Update posted on Sep 24, 2009 - 4:27PM |
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