Breeding fighting dogs, neglect, drugs seized
Bridgeton, NJ (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Aug 13, 2005
County: Cumberland
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: John Calvin Rhett
Authorities recovered 12 malnourished or injured pit bulls, including eight 10-day-old puppies, from one of two city homes raided early Aug 13 in what police believe to be the largest cocaine bust in city history.
Officials from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rescued the dogs from the East Avenue home of John Rhett, 28, around 2 a.m., according to Beverly Greco, director of cruelty investigations for the county SPCA.
The SPCA believes Rhett was operating an illegal pit-bull breeding operation out of the East Avenue home.
The house had been previously investigated, according to Greco.
"This is not uncommon in the city and this is one of the issues that needs to be addressed. This is a picture-perfect example of lack of enforcement here," she said. "This is why so many residents are frustrated. Here, you have a case -- on this one property -- you have 12 dogs altogether, including the puppies. Not one licensed. An illegal breeding situation."
The 12 dogs were found in the home's basement as police from several agencies conducted simultaneous raids of it and a home on Wood Street, where nearly 4 1/2 pounds, or 2 kilograms, of cocaine was recovered.
In addition to the 10-day-old puppies, which were dehydrated, according to Greco, there were two adult pit bulls and two 4-month-old pit bull puppies in the home's basement.
The four older dogs have fresh wounds or scars, or both, indicating they were used in dog fights, Greco said.
Rhett was selling the pit bulls on the Internet, she added.
The SPCA was set to charge Rhett Monday afternoon with two counts of harboring fighting dogs, an indictable offense, and two counts of failure to provide veterinary care, which is a misdemeanor, according to Greco.
Rhett is facing fines of up to $10,000 and up to six months in prison if convicted on the harboring fighting-dogs charge, Greco said.
Greco did credit the city for its recently initiated dog census, which Bridgeton Police Det. Lt. Michael Gaimari noted Monday has netted roughly 300 new dog licenses since being announced on July 28.
City police are to cite John Rhett for failing to license the dogs, according to Gaimari. References« NJ State Animal Cruelty Map
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