More than 300 dogs were rescued and 20 people are in custody after South Carolina authorities executed what is said to be the largest dogfighting raid in the state’s history.
The DOJ announced on Monday, that more than 60 federal agents and state police officers carried out dozens of warrants over the weekend.
On Saturday, authorities stopped a dogfighting match in Richland County and on Sunday, they executed 23 search warrants on properties that had “known dogfighting kennels” or were “associated with dogfighting.”
The raids led to the rescue of 305 dogs, and authorities say that at least 275 of them were victims of dogfighting. Twenty people were also arrested on state charges of animal cruelty and dogfighting.
Authorities also seized around 30 firearms and $40,000 in cash, along with evidence to prove there was dogfighting taking place.
The DOJ stated, “This operation is believed to be the biggest takedown of a dogfighting ring in South Carolina history.”
The Humane Society helped with efforts to recover the dogs. They made a statement, “During Sunday’s search, it was discovered that dogs had been living in pens outside. Some had also been chained and only had makeshift shelters to protect them from bad weather. The dogs also appeared to be malnourished and had no apparent access to food or water, despite the sunny and hot weather.”
“Some of the dogs had even suffered severe scarring, as well as festering open wounds, lacerations and abscesses. Many of the dogs had critical wounds that forced them to receive urgent treatment after being penned or chained to trees in the woods. Though a number of the dogs happily greeted first responders by wagging their tails and licking them, some weren’t as eager and instead looked at them “reluctantly,” the Humane Society said.
“It’s truly distressing to come upon dogs who are severely injured yet chained to trees or left to languish in a pen instead of getting the care they desperately need,” said Adam Parascandola, vice president of the animal rescue team for the Humane Society of the United States. “Thanks to all the agencies who intervened on behalf of these dogs, this is the last day they’re going to have to live like this.”
“To force dogs to fight, often to the death, for the enjoyment of others is not only a federal crime, it is also cruel, sadistic, and can create a haven for other illicit activities involving drugs and firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Adair F. Boroughs in the DOJ’s announcement.
Under the Animal Welfare Act, there is a maximum felony sentence of up to five years in federal prison for dogfighting “or to possess, train, sell, buy, deliver, receive, or transport dogs intended for use in dogfighting,” per the DOJ.
“The dogs involved in the operation are now being treated at undisclosed locations,” the Humane Society said.
Poor dogs. I love animals and that is horrible for people to do that… If I was in charge I would first throw all the people involved in the circle and let the dogs tear them apart for a few hours and make them feel like the dogs felt😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😡😠😥😢 hope they get there asses beat in prison they deserve it
First we have to pray they all get custodial sentences. Then, no protective custody. Follow that up with letting the dog fighting info leak to the most vicious inmates. Hopefully they will be given real justice then.
Homo Sapiens is Latin for ‘Wise Men’. We may yet have to reassign our taxonomic designations to provide for those who have devolved into something ‘less than human’. This would allow those who fall within this ‘special non-human designation’, to receive the same legal protection and justice as all other ‘non-human’ life forms. What better motivation would there be for them to exemplify and advocate for the rights of ‘non-human’ animals? After all, they may then be tortured under the lawful practices of ‘medical experimentation’, ‘harvested’, incarcerated and forced to provide various forms of ‘entertainment’ for humans to enjoy, trapped and relocated if inconvenient to have in the area, and utilized in lieu of humans in situations of great risk for injury. That is a fate much worse than time in jail or other forms of restitution.