Pit bull neglect, fighting suspected
Beaver, WV (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Feb 11, 2005
County: Raleigh

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged:
» April Moorefield
» Shawn Moorefield

Raleigh County deputies are investigating an alleged case of animal cruelty. Investigators say they went to a home in Beaver to serve some routine papers and discovered ten abused and neglected pit bulls. They say the dogs were chained up in the backyard of April and Shawn Moorefield's home in Sanford Place.

Deputy W.R. Killen says the pit bulls were extremely thin. His reports show some of them had open sores and old wounds, which he says could be from illegal dog fighting.

Killen says the dogs that did appear to be healthy had no food or water. The Moorefield's are charged with ten counts of animal cruelty.

April Moorefield said she had rescued five of the dogs in question. She claims she was nursing them back to health, because a neighbor left them to starve to death.

She says the dogs were never used for fighting, while in her care.

The Moorefield's are free on $15,000 dollars bond each. Seven dogs are in the county's custody, until the case goes to court.

Deputies say April and Shawn Moorefield were both cited in September 2004 for animal cruelty involving illegal dog fighting.

References

• WTRF - Feb 11, 2005

« WV State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Raleigh County, WV

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