Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog-fighting - at least 17 dogs seized

Dog-fighting - at least 17 dogs seized
Thonotosassa, FL (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Feb 1, 2006
County: Hillsborough
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged
Charges: Felony CTA

Abuser names unreleased

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 7148

Classification: Fighting, Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: cow, dog (pit-bull)

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Drugs or alcohol involved

Hillsborough County investigators spent the morning of Feb 1 at a home in Thonotosassa, raiding an apparent dog-breeding operation. The Animal Services raid began that morning, and by noon, officials said they had found 17 pit bulls kept in deplorable conditions.

Officers were tipped off to the farm on Monday, and when they checked it out on Tuesday, they say they spotted dog-fighting training gear, which was enough for them to get the warrant for today's raid.

"This here, this is somebody who's been breeding, nurturing, and pursuing. And everything here is a felony," Animal Services chief investigator Dennis McCullough stated.

No one was home at the scene this morning, but the owners of the property will be facing a slew of charges.

"There'll be a bunch when we sort them out because there's paraphernalia, medicines to treat the animals, all of these things are all felonies," McCullough continued. "We're looking at a bunch."

Animal Services officers were conducted the raid, but called for backup from Hillsborough County deputies. Reportedly, they found evidence of other illegal activities happening at the scene, but officials declined to specify exactly what it was.

Case Updates

Property records show the property is owned by Sheri Lynn and John Dudley Henderson. It was unclear whether they were living there, but records indicate the land is homesteaded.

Once inside the house, investigators also found evidence that marijuana was being grown there. They contacted the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office's agricultural unit and narcotics squad for help. Sheriff's investigators found 7 pounds of marijuana, some of it harvested and drying out. There were plants of varying sizes, some still in pots, according to a sheriff's report. Ryan said guns were also found.

Animal Services investigators found eight adult pit bull terriers and six puppies, several with cuts and sores. They also took a cat, and the sheriff's agricultural unit took two cows, Ryan said. Ryan said investigators found three dog skulls on the property. "We don't know if they died of fighting, or if they were bait dogs," she said. There was equipment on site typically used in the training of fight dogs, including an old treadmill and a spring with a leather leash that is used to strengthen a dog's jaw. Investigators found a medical kit with syringes, salves and ointments commonly used to treat injured fight dogs, Ryan said. They think dogs were bred on the property, though it is not clear whether fights took place there.

Source: St Petersburg Times - February 2, 2006
Update posted on Feb 12, 2006 - 3:36PM

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Dog-fighting - at least 17 dogs seizedThonotosassa, FL (US)

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Dog-fighting - at least 17 dogs seized
Thonotosassa, FL (US)