DogExpress
Suffolk County, NY: One of the largest possible busts of its kind has happened in Suffolk County, New York. Ten people have been arrested so far in connection to the alleged dogfighting ring. In addition, 89 dogs were rescued by the officials.
On Monday, Suffolk County DA, Timothy Sini, announced the news stating that the alleged dogfighting ring may have been operating interstate, organizing across Long Island, in New York City, and some other states.
The state officials have confirmed that several Pitbulls have been rescued in the process. However, these dog breeds were only bred for underground dog fighting. These dogs have been conditioned and trained to fight and kill other dogs in the ring.
The dogs were kept in terrible conditions, and the ones who got injured or couldn’t perform were killed mercilessly. But, according to officials, people betting on these dog fights didn’t seem to care about the dogs’ conditions or how they were treated. One person made a $175,000 bet on one fight.
Brokers organized match-ups based on the dog’s weight and sex. The fight lasts for several hours, resulting in the dogs getting injured severely or even killed.
The dogfighting ringleaders set up dogs in practice fights when the dogs are just about six months old. The dogs that start winning from an early age are considered to hail from strong bloodlines and sold for higher bets.
Throughout Suffolk County, many search warrants were issued. Raids were conducted on 9 locations in Suffolk, and three raids were conducted in Nassau Country, along with one raid in Brooklyn between July 31 and August 1.
Most of the dogs found in these locations were in terrible conditions, with injuries, broken teeth, scarring across their bodies, and fearful behavior.
Shocking Discoveries
During the search and raids, officials found veterinary surgical supplies like:
- Skin stapler
- Rape stands (to rape and impregnate female dogs for breeding)
- Plugging cords (to electrocute the dogs to kill or condition)
- Break sticks (to separate dogs by their mouths during a fight)
- Steroids
- Treadmills
- Spring poles, etc.
The County Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron said, “it is one of the most disturbing cases I have ever seen in Suffolk County.”
The County DA has announced that his office is setting up a Special Grand Jury to look into the crimes against animals and make law changes to combat such cruelty and actions.
Out of the 89 Pitbulls rescued, 81 of them have been undertaken into care by ASPCA, New York. The remaining 8 of the Pits were moved to Connecticut for further treatment and care under the ASPCA.
Source: NBC New York
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