Dog-fighting - 70 dogs seized from 2 properties
Gordon, GA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Dec 10, 2009
County: Wilkinson
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Christopher Antoina Williams
The dogs from Thursday’s raids on suspected dogfighting operations in Wilkinson County may benefit from the timing of the raid, an Atlanta Humane Society official said. Miguel Abi-hassan, director of animal welfare initiatives and outreach, said a Ga. 57 site had at least two dogfighting pits, including one built in a shed. Carpet and plywood scattered throughout the property point to other fighting pits, as well.
“I’ve got a feeling this guy was huge a few years ago, and maybe cut back when the pressure got up,” Abi-hassan said.
Officials seized 57 dogs from that site at 5006 Ga. 57, near Owens-Shepherd Road, and another 13 dogs from within Gordon’s city limits. The age and the kinds of dogs seized means a higher-than-normal proportion of the dogs can be rehabilitated and adopted out as early as next week, he said.
“I don’t know if he was getting set for next season, but we had a lot of puppies, a lot of breeding stock, a lot of younger” dogs, Abi-hassan said Friday. He said about five of the 13 dogs seized from 113 Miller St. in Gordon had been fought, and about 15 of the 57 seized from the Ga. 57 site had been fought in the last year.
Such fighting dogs rarely live past their third fight and are typically retired after five fights, he said. With a lower ratio of fighting dogs than is found in most raids, more of the Wilkinson County animals may be adoptable.
Christopher “Tony” Antoina Williams, 41, was arrested at the Ga. 57 site Thursday and was initially charged with a single count of misdemeanor cruelty to dogs. Wilkinson County Sheriff Richard Chatman said he planned to file more charges Friday, but he did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Speaking briefly with reporters Thursday before his arrest, Williams said, “I don’t dogfight. I definitely don’t.”
Gordon police on Thursday also arrested a man in connection with the dogs from their jurisdiction. The department has not released the name of that man, either. Sgt. Andy Hester said Thursday the Miller Street property owner didn’t know the dogs were on his property.
Atlanta Humane Society veterinarians and behavior specialists will evaluate the dogs throughout this weekend at an undisclosed location, Abi-hassan said. He said it was too early too tell how many may be adoptable.
Officials have not found links between the locations.
Abi-hassan said some of the dogs had apparently never been on a real floor until they were seized. Some of the Miller Street females had their teeth filed flat so they couldn’t fight off breeders. On the Ga. 57 site, they discovered a dog boneyard with eight complete skeletons, plus other bones. Some were shattered, an indication of violence.
“We found a skeleton that had a noose attached to it. We pulled on the rope and a skull with a spinal column attached came out of the ground,” he said, saying that was a sign the dog may have been hanged.
Wilkinson County does not have an animal control service. The Atlanta Humane Society is bearing the costs of gathering, treating and adopting the dogs.
Information on the adoption process, and a place to make donations, are online at atlantahumane.org. The sheriff’s office and police department were focused on the two locations by an investigator with Atlanta security firm Norred & Associates, which runs an animal cruelty hot line at (877) 215-2250. References« GA State Animal Cruelty Map
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