var _sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime() Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog-fighting - 8 dogs seized - Plant City, FL (US)
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Dog-fighting - 8 dogs seized
Plant City, FL (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Jul 27, 2010
County: Hillsborough

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 8 files available

Alleged: James Craig Jenkins, Jr.

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Investigators served a search warrant Tuesday and found evidence of dogs being bred and fought in a building with bloody carpets and walls, according to arrest reports.

James Craig Jenkins Jr., 32, of 1301 Peregrine Drive, was arrested and charged with 10 counts of owning equipment for animal fighting; eight counts of baiting, breeding, training, transporting, selling, owning, possessing or using animals for the purpose of animal fighting or baiting; three counts of fighting animals; owning property for animal fighting and marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession.

Hillsborough County Animal Services found eight dogs bred and used for fighting, the report said. Jenkins also kept "numerous articles of paperwork" including medical records and training documents.

Investigators said they also found tools to treat dog injuries and $1,900 in cash.

Jenkins was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail where bail was set at $45,000.


Case Updates

A Plant City man faces 22 charges of dog fighting and two counts of drug violations, according to Hillsborough County Animal Services.

James Craig Jenkins Jr., 32, of 1301 Peregrine Dr., was involved in a dog fighting ring, said Cpl. Ken Vetzel, an investigator with Hillsborough County Animal Services.

Vetzel said they had been investigating Jenkins for two years. They believe he is one of three main players in a dog fighting ring that stretches from New Jersey to South Florida.

Eight pit bulls were seized from Jenkins’ house. At least half had been involved in dog fighting, Vetzel said.

Investigators found dog fighting magazines and other dog fighting evidence at the house. Vetzel said they also found drugs, money and guns.

In the backyard, a wooden structure that looked like a shed was visible. Vetzel said that was where the dogs fought and “a lot of blood” was seen.

“It’s sad. It’s very sad,” Vetzel said. “It’s deplorable. It’s barbaric.”

Law enforcement will continue the investigation and other arrests are expected.
Source: ABC Action News - July 28, 2010
Update posted on Jul 28, 2010 - 10:23PM 
A man arrested Tuesday afternoon on 22 charges related to dog fighting was released from jail early this morning after posting $45,000 bail.

Six adult pit bulls and two hound-mix puppies were seized when James Craig Jenkins Jr., 32, was arrested at his Plant City home, Hillsborough County Animal Services said.

Jenkins faces 24 charges, Hillsborough County Jail records show. All except two relate to dog fighting.

The charges include having equipment for animal fighting and possession of animals for fighting, records show. He also faces two misdemeanor drug charges.

Some of the dogs had missing teeth, puncture wounds, skin issues and neurological damage, said Marti Ryan, an Animal Services spokeswoman.

The pit bulls will be evaluated by a team trained to assess fighting dogs before a decision is made about whether they can be adopted. Seized fighting dogs are not automatically euthanized, Ryan said.

Investigators also seized animal medications, stolen guns and cash from the home, at 1301 Peregrine Drive.

Jail records show no charges related to the guns.

The medications are used to nurse and treat the wounds of injured dogs and to give them energy to fight, Ryan said.

Investigators found records of fights Jenkins officiated, with some fights lasting more than an hour, Ryan said.

Video of dogfights were also found in the home, she said.

"These videos are painfully graphic," Ryan said. "It's difficult to watch; it's difficult to listen to."

The agency has been investigating the case for two years.

Jenkins is an unemployed truck driver, Ryan said.

Dog fighting is a large, shadowy but highly organized activity that comes with champion rankings, tracking of blood lines and a codified rule book, said Chris Schindler, head of animal-fighting law enforcement for the Humane Society of the United States.

"Actually it is a much bigger network than people realize. It's very lucrative and not something localized," he said. "People cross state lines for fights."

A dog that has won several fights can net a prize of $50,000 per bout and each of its pups can be worth thousands of dollars. People will travel across the country to breed their dog with a highly ranked dog, and stud fees can reach $2,000, Schindler said.

People involved in dog fighting stock large supplies of medications to treat a dog after a fight.

Dog fighting has its own rulebook that cover everything from pit size to how far apart dogs are at the start. Referees oversee fights to provide an impartial declaration of the winner.

There was even a magazine that ranked dogs and tracked results and bloodlines until the publisher was arrested on dog-fighting charges.

"For these guys, it's all about exploiting the dogs for money," said Schindler, whose job is to help law enforcement make cases against dog fighters.
Source: Tampa Bay Online - July 28, 2010
Update posted on Jul 28, 2010 - 10:22PM 

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