Dog-fighting - 100 dogs seized from 2 properties
French Lick, IN (US)Incident Date: Tuesday, Aug 11, 2009
County: Orange
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Brian E. Denny
» Eli Taylor
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Remains found, dozens of dogs seized and an arrest made after Indiana Gaming Commission executed two search warrants in Paoli, Indiana and busted a dog fighting ring.
Since 2007, Larry Rollins, Director of the Gaming Control Division of the Indiana Gaming Commission, has been investigating this property, an alleged breeding ground for fighting dogs.
They're scattered throughout this 15 acres of woods and you can tell that they don't get food or water routinely," said Rollins.
This has been the living conditions for the nearly 100 dogs on this property living on these six foot chains, with only these barrels for shelter and drinking rainwater, infested with mosquitoes out of these tires.
"This is the beginning of an embedded collar, or actually an embedded chain, they have these heavy long chains that are wrapped directly around the dog's necks and they're digging in," said Tim Rickey, Director Animal Cruelty Task Force of the Humane Society of Missouri.
So Tuesday police officers and members of the Humane Society of Missouri are seizing these dogs and giving them much needed medical treatment.
"We're doing an exam on each one of these animals to document any wounds and injuries and they'll go on from here to get further medical treatment if necessary," said Rickey.
But this problem doesn't end here.
Authorities also seized nine dogs from another a property in French Lick, Indiana where police say Brian Denny was using them for dog fighting.
Two dog fighting warrants issued in one day and Tim Rickey, Director of the Animal Cruelty task force for the Humane Society of Missouri says he isn't the least bit surprised.
"Unfortunately, dog fighting is alive and well. We see animals that have been abused like this on a regular basis," said Rickey. "This is the worst environment this animal could possibly live in and our job is to come in and make sure that they're never abused again."
Police are looking for a second man, Eli Taylor, who owns the property near Paoli where about 90 dogs were being raised. They believe he is in Louisville and will be charged with cruelty to animals.
The Humane Soceity will evaluate the dogs seized to assess whether they are suitable for adoption. They will be shipped to kennels in several states as they are evidence in this investigation.
Police say they have been to this site before when the suspects were cited for not giving the dogs rabies vaccinations.
Because Orange County does not have an ordinance for the number of animals one person can own, they were not further prosecuted. The difference Tuesday, however, was the tip of dog fighting activity that led to the arrests.
Case UpdatesTwo court proceedings are scheduled for Tuesday in Orange Superior Court in the case involving Eli Taylor and Brian Denny, who were arrested last year on charges related to dogfighting.
The arrests followed an Indiana Gaming Commission investigation.
The Orange County Prosecutor's Office reports Denny, 40, French Lick, is scheduled to be in court Tuesday at 9 a.m. for a pretrial conference. Orange County Prosecutor Kelly Minton said Denny had been scheduled for a pre-trial conference in November but his counsel at the time, Paoli attorney Susan Umpleby, moved for a continuance citing a possible conflict of interest as his attorney. Denny now is represented by Bedford attorney Scott Callahan.
"We have never had a trial date on Denny yet," Minton said. "I expect, at this Jan. 19 date, next Tuesday, we will set a trial date."
Authorities in August confiscated 109 dogs from properties owned by Denny, in the French Lick area, and Taylor, east of Paoli and near Rego. Ownership of all the dogs that were impounded was awarded to the state, which then had legal right to carry out the proper disposition of the animals.
The second proceeding planned for Tuesday is for court consideration of disposition of 22 dogs that have not already been released by the state. The 22 dogs were among those owned by Taylor, 72, Louisville, and are the subjects of the state's charging information against him. Taylor's trial is set for April 7.
Minton referred to correspondence from his office to IGC Legal Counsel Julien Agnew on Nov. 4.
The correspondence, in referencing the bulk of the dogs impounded, reads, in part, "As Orange County prosecutor, I give the authority I have over the dogs as a representative of the State of Indiana ... to the Humane Society of the United States for disposition consistent with the court's orders" and consistent with reports filed by the Indiana State Board of Health veterinarian.
The correspondence also discussed the court's indications that a hearing would be scheduled about 60 days later to address disposition of the 22 dogs that are the subjects of the charges in Orange County.
"The time period is allowed," Minton wrote in his letter, "for the defendant (Taylor) to make decisions regarding discovery in the criminal case and to decide whether he wants his representative to be able to examine the dogs."
A concern along the way, Minton said, has been the costs the state has incurred in being responsible for the care of the animals.
Minton explained the distinction related to the 22 dogs that remain the state's responsibility.
"The first 20 counts," Minton said, "are for possession of animals used in animal fighting contests. Potentially, the state could have filed as many counts as there were animals. At some point, there's no gain in that. We decided to stop at 20."
Authorities selected the 20 animals they believed, based on veterinary investigations, provided the best evidence. "A variety of factors," Minton said, "were considered, including damage to the dog itself â€" scars, broken bones ... things that would indicate to us that they were used in fighting contests. The remaining two dogs were kept in state ownership as evidence in two counts of cruelty to animals with which Taylor also is charged. | Source: Herald Times Online - Jan 17, 2010
Update posted on Jan 17, 2010 - 5:56PM |
A second suspect is behind bars Friday, after a dog fighting bust in southern Indiana last week.
U.S. Marshals arrested 72-year-old Eli Taylor of Louisville, on several dog fighting related charges.
39-year-old Brian Denny of French Lick was arrested last week for similar crimes.
Paoli and French Lick police found nearly 100 dogs forced into dog fighting last week.
The animals are being evaluated to see if adoption is possible. | Source: whas.com - Aug 21, 2009
Update posted on Oct 5, 2009 - 5:23PM |
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