Dog-fighting - 5 dogs seized, 1 found dead Lancaster, SC (US) Incident Date: Saturday, Dec 31, 2005 County: Lancaster Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Mark Eugene Moore » John Matthew Railey

Case ID: 6903 Classification: Fighting, Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (pit-bull) View more cases in SC (US) Login to Watch this Case

Lancaster County sheriff's deputies investigated a complaint of dog fighting at an abandoned home on Louisa Park Road. Authorities arrested Marc Eugene Moore, 34, and John Matthew Railey, 18, and charged them with animal fighting.

Investigators said when officers pulled up, six people bolted out the damaged back door into the woods. Deputies said they were able to capture Moore and Railey. "Our responding deputies could hear dogs fighting inside the abandoned mobile home when they arrived," said Chief Deputy Barry Faile.

Deputies said they discovered five pit bulls inside the residence. They said two of the dogs were bleeding and appeared to have recently been fighting. Officials said one other dog was found dead in the woods behind the abandoned home. They said it appeared to have died as a result of dog fighting. Deputies said the dog fighters broke in to the trailer and have staged several fights inside. Investigators said the mobile home where the fighting occurred is owned by a local reality company and is currently not being rented. According to police, in a room the size of a walk-in closet, blood stains cover the walls from the carpet on up. They said there are scratch marks, and a foul odor lingers in the air. "The dogs found at the residence had no food or water and appeared to be uncared for," said Faile.

Lancaster County Animal Control responded to the scene and removed the dogs from the residence. All five dogs, even the puppies, will probably be put to sleep at the county animal shelter. Animal control officials said that once dogs are trained to fight, they're never adopted as pets.

Both Moore and Railey were charged with a misdemeanor animal fighting, not felony dog fighting, because deputies only saw them run, they didn't see them fighting the dogs. Misdemeanor animal fighting carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment.

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References

WSOC TV - January 11, 2006

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