Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog-fighting and cockfighting

Dog-fighting and cockfighting
West Branch, MI (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Feb 2, 2005
County: Ogemaw
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Heather L. Lemcool

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 3863

Classification: Fighting

Animal: dog (pit-bull), chicken

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Police say dogfights and cockfights may have taken place outside a southern Ogemaw County home where officers seized 17 dogs and a number of gamecocks earlier this month. Police and prosecutors refuse to identify the residents of the home at 4797 S. M-76 - the scene of the raid - less than 100 yards south of LaPorte Road. No one has been arraigned on criminal charges, according to Ogemaw County District Court officials.

But 14 dogs were removed from the property and taken to an animal shelter in Arenac County. Another three dogs were hauled to the Iosco County Animal Shelter, as Ogemaw County has no shelter of its own.

"There were dogs that were all beat up and scarred up and tore up," said Trooper Craig W. Johnson of the Michigan State Police post at West Branch.

Authorities declined to talk about the animals' conditions.

A police report indicates some dogs were kept on short chains at the home. Police saw wounds on some dogs' legs and faces. Officers found four pit-bull terrier puppies in the home's basement.

A trailer home behind the house, but on the same property, appeared to have claw marks and blood stains on the floor and walls. The home is about five miles southeast of West Branch, along South M-76 which also is known as Alger Road.

Ogemaw County Prosecutor: LaDonna A. Schultz

Case Updates

A 29-year-old Prescott woman faces seven counts of animal abandonment/cruelty to animals in connection with a Feb. 2 police raid on an Ogemaw County home.

Prosecutors, however, didn't accuse Heather L. Lemcool of hosting dogfights or cockfights at the home, at 4797 S. M-76 in Horton Township.

Police had said they were investigating whether such fights took place on the property, where officers reported seizing 17 dogs and a number of gamecocks.

Some of the dogs bore wounds and scars, according to Michigan State Police. When authorities arraigned Lemcool in 82nd District Court in West Branch on Tuesday, they also charged her with 13 counts of failing to license dogs, and 13 counts of failing to keep dogs vaccinated.

Lemcool would face a maximum sentence of 93 days in jail if convicted of animal abandonment/cruelty to animals.

Lemcool told The Times that investigators are "way out of line" by prosecuting her. She declined further comment, referring questions to her lawyer, Berkley attorney Seymour C. Schwartz.

Schwartz said Lemcool, her boyfriend and their young daughter had hoped to move into the Horton Township home after remodeling it.

But the boyfriend "doesn't even want to go back there now because he's so depressed about what the police did," Schwartz said.

"These dogs that were seized have pedigrees, they're well-maintained and they don't have a history of fighting," Schwartz said. "The only thing anybody did wrong - and they didn't know they were doing anything wrong - was they had dogs on leashes that were too short.

"I know (authorities) have made a lot of noise about these animals being fighting dogs. Two of the dogs had scars, and those dogs had been rescued (by Lemcool and her boyfriend)."

"Every dog was healthy."

A trailer home behind the house appeared to have claw marks and blood stains on its floor and walls, according to police.

"There was a broken-down old dog treadmill police found there, but that's the only thing they found that could even remotely be construed to be connected to dog-fighting," Schwartz said.

"And (Lemcool and her boyfriend) couldn't walk 12 dogs at once on one treadmill. They took the others out on leashes."

Police reported taking 14 dogs from the property to an animal shelter in Arenac County. Authorities hauled another three dogs to the Iosco County Animal Shelter, as Ogemaw County has no shelter of its own.

None of the animals have been destroyed, according to authorities. Police said they don't expect Lemcool's boyfriend to face criminal charges in connection with the raid. Investigators and Schwartz decline to name the boyfriend.

Lemcool, who was convicted of assault in Wayne County in 2003, remains free after posting a $3,000 bond. She awaits an April 11 pre-trial hearing. As a condition of her bond, Lemcool cannot own or possess any animal other than some chickens and a dog at her parents' home near Prescott.

Source: The Bay City Times - March 13, 2005
Update posted on Mar 14, 2005 - 1:59PM

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The Bay City Times - Feb 16, 2005

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Dog-fighting and cockfightingWest Branch, MI (US)

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Dog-fighting and cockfighting
West Branch, MI (US)