Dog-fighting at daycare center - 21 dogs seized
Buffalo, NY (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 7, 2009
County: Erie
Disposition: Not Charged
Person of Interest: Maretha Daniels
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Buffalo day care center, operated in a private home, is being investigated by state officials after animal control officers seized pit bulls from other properties owned by the operator of the day care.
Maretha Daniels owns six properties on Laurel Street, according to Bill Vivian, acting director of the Buffalo Animal Shelter.
Vivian said Daniels' home at 29 Laurel Street where the day care business is located was one of four homes raided by officers on Wednesday. Animals were discovered in all of the homes, but the dogs found at the day care were allowed to remain there.
18 other dogs, including eight puppies, were removed and taken to the animal shelter on Oak Street.
The dogs have sustained injuries consistent with dog fighting, Vivian said.
On Thursday, three more pit bulls were taken from a fifth home on Laurel Street.
In the past ten years, as many as 300 pit bulls have been seized on Laurel Street, Vivian said. The street is considered a hot spot in Buffalo's dog fighting underground.
The dogs are being evaluated and if they remain unclaimed, will be put up for adoption within the next few days. Animals that are deemed inappropriate for adoption may have to be put down.
Inspectors with the New York State Office of Children and Family services will visit the day care center on Friday, said spokeswoman Pat Cantiello.
The day care center has been licensed since 1995 and has no serious violations in the past few years.
No one has been charged in connection with the case. Vivian said Daniels told him that she does not know the owner of the dogs, even though they were discovered on her property.
Case UpdatesAnimal control officers say they've had to euthanize a dozen of the pit bulls seized when authorities broke up a dog-fighting ring in Buffalo earlier this month.
A total of 25 pit bulls were seized after authorities received a tip about dog-fighting activities in a Buffalo neighborhood. Most of the dogs were found inside several houses on the same street.
Officials at the Buffalo City Animal Shelter say they had to put 12 of the dogs down because they were extremely aggressive. Authorities say many of the dogs were covered in scars from fighting.
The surviving dogs include a litter of eight puppies. | Source: WCBS - Oct 20,, 2009
Update posted on Oct 26, 2009 - 5:34PM |
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