Pit Bull Informational Pages
by Diane Jessup 

How worse than the actual fight is a life spent on a 6 foot chain, tied to a metal dog house, standing in his own feces? Hot in the summer, freezing in the winter; the life of a fighting dog is a desolation of physical and mental neglect.

Dog Fight Busts:
The Ugly Truth Revealed

Below are random samples of news reports concerning dog fight busts. Those who argue that "dog men" are honest, hard working, all-American boys simply have NO proof that that is true. Instead, in every case they are found to be, well, just plain losers.

* Gaston Williamson, who was on trial on several charges, has been convicted of felony dogfighting and possession of stolen property. After a three-day trial, the jury took just two hours to reach the verdict. In March, neighbors had complained to authorities about numerous pit bulls that were tied up on Williamson's property. Authorities found 153 pit bulls, two pounds of marijuana, dogfighting paraphernalia, and dozens of stolen guns. Authorities raided a compound in southern Lee County Wednesday afternoon, where they found guns, drugs, moonshine and stolen property. Neighbors complained to authorities that they witnessed pit bulls that were tied up outside a farm at Black Chapel Road. When authorities arrived, they found 153 pit bulls, two pounds of marijuana, dogfighting paraphernalia and dozens of stolen guns. They also found $2,000 and a stolen Harley-Davidson.

* The Love County Sheriff's Department arrested five people this weekend on drug related charges and uncovered a huge meth lab and dogfighting pit in Grady County.The events surrounding the arrests began at 3 a.m. Saturday when Love County Sheriff Deputy Jeff Poteet requested assistance after discovering a vehicle with questionable license tags at the southbound rest area on Interstate 35.While checking the vehicle, the officers noted another vehicle attempting to leave the rest area. The officers found two bags of marijuana weighing one gram each in the man's wallet and a syringe in his pocket after stopping the vehicle. Christopher Reneau was arrested for possession of controlled dangerous substances. A complete search of the car discovered three pounds of red phosphorus, beakers, condensation tubes, and other equipment worth about $2,800. They also found 120 grams of iodine crystals, which are used in the production of methamphetamine drugs. Reneau was also charged on seven counts of endeavoring to manufacture methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute, possession within 1,000 feet of a public park, possession of a precursor substance without permit, possession of schedule two controlled dangerous substances, possession of paraphernalia, and failure to pay taxes due the state. "When we questioned him he told us that in 1999 he had grown marijuana and sold more than 95 pounds of methamphetamines," Deputy Sheriff Charlie Whitt said. "He advised us that he was the 'best dope cook in southern Oklahoma." Renau also gave officers permission to search his home in Grady County. The Bridge Creek home was found to contain enough paraphernalia to run two meth labs simultaneously, two rooms designated for growing marijuana, complete with timed lights and water systems. Outside the house, law enforcement officials found what appeared to be a dog fighting pit, 45 pit bulls, two training areas, treadmills, a burn pit and carcasses of two burned dogs. The searches were performed in cooperation with the Grady County Sheriff's Department and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. Love County reserve deputies were also involved in this operation. Also, Angela Lynn Nash, 28, and Rita Faye Holder, 31, both of Marietta, were arrested Friday after officials found a quarter bag of marijuana in a home located at 207 NW 8th Street. The two were charged with possession with the intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia, and child endangerment. This arrest also led to the residence of Dana, 32, and Donna Armstrong, 31, where officials found paraphernalia. The couple was charged with distribution, possession of paraphernalia, possession of marijuana, and child endangerment. All of those involved in the bust had children under the age of 12 in their home at the time of the arrests.

* DOG FIGHTING RING - Barry White is escorted from his home by a Randolph County sheriff's deputy Sunday in connection with a pit bull fighting ring behind his house on Wildwood Road. Authorities found 18 pits when they arrived, one dead and three which later had to be put down because of injuries. Several were fighting when officers got to the scene. Deputies arrested Barry Paul White, 27, 2600 Wildwood Road, after breaking up a dog fight in a homemade ring located behind the address around 2:30 p.m. Hurley said White had lived at the Wildwood Road address for about a month, but said High Point narcotics agents knew of him when he lived at 1211 Carter St. in High Point. A search of court records showed he had numerous charges for felony possession of marijuana and maintaining a vehicle/dwelling place for a controlled substance. Hurley said deputies discovered an approximately 20-foot-in-circumference dog fighting ring made of 2-by-4 boards and plywood near a creek behind the house. The floor of the ring was carpeted. The carpet was soaked in blood. "Some of the dogs still alive were torn all to pieces," Hurley said. "This is the worst I've ever seen as far as cruelty to animals goes." After White was arrested, deputies searched the residence. "There was no furniture in the house," Hurley said. "There were two treadmills used to exercise dogs on and a 50-pound weight attached to a collar the dogs had to drag around to strengthen them up. We also found antibiotics and a staple gun used to patch dogs up and keep them healthy." According to Hurley, deputies also found a safe in the house in which illegal narcotics and money were discovered.

* Arrest warrants for Butler, Ogletree and Watkins have been issued and 23 counts of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor in Georgia have been filed. The 23 emaciated pit bulls were found living in their own waste and half-starved. The dogs were chained to posts without food or water in the back yard of a house at 307 Hill Top Circle. Most of the dogs showed signs of physical abuse and suffering from apparent dog-fighting wounds and easily treatable diseases such as heartworm. Cobb County Animal Control was familiar with the men after they were called to the home by neighbors at the beginning of December 1999. There was concern for the dogs then but there were a lot fewer dogs and none were apparently abused and the men promised to remove the dogs soon. On January 4th a surprise inspection of the home showed that things had grossly deteriorated since the original visit. The 23 pit bulls, several of them puppies, were sheltered only by 55 gallon plastic drums turned on there sides. Several other puppies were stuffed in cages and all the animals were living in their own feces. Three of the dogs were pregnant.

* Schenectady, NY resident Thomas Provencher, who pled guilty last month to running a pet store that served as a front for dog fighting, has been imprisoned for a term of from 2 1/3 to seven years.

* Seven Pit Bulls Rescued After Dog-Fight Arrest

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A 28-year-old San Jose man is under arrest for alleged dog-fighting. Animal control officers have rescued seven pit bulls, some of them bruised and bitten, and investigators say the suspect had an elaborate set-up for vicious fights. Three pit bull puppies were lucky. They were rescued before they were old enough to go into the fighting ring. Four other adult pit bulls were found in a barn at the entrance to San Jose's Alum Rock Park. Police say the barn contained an arena with seating and lights for commercial dog fights. One of the female adults suffered bites that go into her bones. Yet, before she was sedated -- suffering from intense pain and unable even to walk-- she wagged her tail and greeted her rescuers with docile licks. Police arrested Craig Loren Cox on two felony charges of animal cruelty. Police say he is the caretaker of the barn where the fights were held, and was in charge of the dogs.

"Some of them were bolted down with tractor chain tires, heavy tow chains, to the floor of the stables," said animal services officer Steven Berard. One dog had bruises on its hindquarters. Police say it had been chained down so long it developed sores from being forced to sit. It's been several years since a dog-fighting ring was broken up in San Jose, but animal control officials say that does not mean the fights have not been going on. Animals are often found with injuries typical of commercial dog fights. This most recent bust was the result of a tip. Police say blood splattered on the wall showed that a fight had just occurred. Any spectators were gone by the time they arrived, but the dogs were still there, silent in their pain.

* Deputies Find Three-Legged Pit bull; Dog Fighting Ring Suspected
Burien Police, responding to a 911 call of a residential robbery, found caged pit bulls in the back yard, one missing a leg and another in very poor condition. They suspect the dogs may have been used for illegal dog fighting. The incident began when a 22 year-old resident of a house in the 13600 block of 8th Avenue South called police about 7:20 p.m. on Monday, July 16th. The caller reported that three men, one toting a gun, had just been in the house in an attempt to rob him and his two guests. Burien Police arrived and noticed an abundance of literature strewn around the house on how to prepare pit bulls for fighting. Several pit bulls were in outside kennels and at least one appeared to be mistreated and was injured. Another had only three legs. A journal found at the scene indicated the dog lost his leg in a dogfight, although he won the meet. King County Street Crime Unit detectives assisted in the investigation of the robbery and possible dog fighting. King County Animal Control took custody of the dogs and will investigate their treatment. No suspects were arrested in either the alleged robbery or the dog fighting suspicions. The investigation continues.

* Marijuana search finds dog-fighting, alligators
TOLEDO, Ohio — Deputies looking for marijuana plants found a dog-fighting operation, stolen cars and two alligators on a farm outside the city. Otha Lawrence Jones, Jr., 29, of Toledo was charged with five felony counts of dog-fighting, sheriff's Lt. Donald Atkinson said Friday. Mr. Jones also was charged with a weapons violation. During a routine helicopter search on Thursday, Lucas County sheriff's deputies saw marijuana plants on the farm. After landing to take a closer look, deputies discovered a building with 10 pit bulls inside, Lt. Atkinson said. The dogs were turned over to the Lucas County dog warden. The Toledo Humane Society took the alligators. Deputies destroyed the 28 marijuana plants on the farm. Each had a value of about $1,000. Additional charges could be filed.

* Man charged with felonies related to dog-fighting
NORFOLK -- A city man was charged Wednesday with felony counts related to dog-fighting and cruelty to animals after a search of his home turned up dogs with severe facial wounds, according to a police spokesman and court documents. Tommie Lee Boose III, 27, of the 1200 block of Bunsen Court, was being held in the city jail. On Feb. 14, a city humane officer responded to an animal cruelty complaint at Boose's home in Norview. He noted four dogs in the back yard, two of which had severe wounds consistent with dog-fighting. The wounds were pus-filled and oozing, the officer reported in an affidavit for a search warrant. The dogs were secured with heavy chains in a yard full of excrement and had no water, the affidavit states.

* Dog-fighting investigation continuing.
The Marion Area Humane Society, the Marion County Dog Warden, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Marion City Police Department initiated a dog-fighting investigation in Marion County in October. Derick Oliver, 34, Dimitri Mason, 30, and Michael Wade, Jr., 32, were arrested, indicted and arraigned on dog-fighting charges last month in the Marion County Court of Common Pleas. While serving search warrants of their homes and one other property in the county, law enforcement agents found evidence linking the three Marion men to dog fighting. At 2062 Matheny Ave., they found a video tape showing the three attending a dog fight at Wade's house, 237 Chestnut St. Authorities also seized eight pit bulls and items believed to be used to train the dogs, such as log-pulling chains and bite sticks

Two more search warrants were executed last week, resulting in the arrest of 28-year-old Kenneth K. King on charges other than being involved with dog fighting. Last Thursday, authorities found 14 grams of crack cocaine and 15 firearms at King's residence at 611 Silver St. They also seized one pit bull and dog medication. The dog has scarring on his front legs, but whether he received the wounds from fighting other dogs won't be determined until a thorough examination is given. Lynn Lynn, director of the humane society, said she expected to find other dogs King owned at another local residence Friday. However, nothing was found in the execution of that search warrant. King is being held on charges of possession of cocaine at the Multi-County Correctional Center. He could face a maximum $15,000 fine and eight years in prison with another year possibly being tagged on for the 11 shotguns and four handguns found at his house. He has not been charged for dog fighting, and no court date has been set involving the other charges he faces.

* The Austin Police Department Organized Crime Division is seeking information from the public on an organized dog fighting incident. On April 26, a search warrant was executed at 6910 Providence Avenue by APD SWAT and Narcotics Unit. Evidence seized included videotapes of organized dog fighting. Also seized were four pit bulls, weapons and drugs. City of Austin Animal Control responded and took possession of the four pit bulls.

Arrest warrants were issued for:

Kenneth Caldwell, (DOB: 03-13-72), dog fighting, $5,000 bond
Augie Baker, (DOB: 11-21-67), dog fighting, $2,500 bond
Jerome Moore, (DOB: 01-18-67), dog fighting, $2,500 bond
Kelvin Tomac Monroe, (DOB: 10-16-72), dog fighting, $2,500 bond

* Arrests Made In Suspected Dog-Fighting Ring
McKEESPORT, Pa. -- Six people were arrested in what state investigators called their largest investigation of a dogfighting ring that included breeders, kennels, trainers, promoters, and $50,000 purses. The six men -- including a pet store owner -- were arrested Friday in Allegheny, Bedford and Westmoreland counties in connection with the ring that allegedly arranged fights between pit bulls in basements and warehouses for at least five years.

"This organization actively promoted dogfights between pit bull dogs for sport and for profit. Wagering on these fights ranged from $100 to $50,000," said state police Lt. George L. Bivens. One suspect is also accused of having sold jury-rigged power drills and devices used to electrocute dogs to death when they were badly injured. As part of the investigation, state police seized 21 pit bulls, guns, steroids, training equipment, underground dogfighting magazines and a photo album full of fighting dogs with names such as "Crazy," "Screwface," "Gizmo" and "Rampage." Accompanying a photo of "Rampage" is a note: "Lost 1 hour, 18 minutes."

According to arrest warrants, fights were arranged and promoted by Richard Henderson, 49, of Bedford, who also kept pit bulls at his radiator shop. Henderson sold steroids to an undercover state trooper, and also sold a scale to weigh dogs and a surgical staple gun and arranged a dog fight, authorities said. He also sold modified electric drills and other devices used to electrocute dogs, and offered to sell the trooper two treadmills, a rub down bench and other dog training equipment for $1,500, authorities said. According to arrest warrants, entrance fees for the fights were handled by Robert Cooper, 46, of Verona, at his pet store, and dog owners would give Cooper money which they would give up if they forfeited a fight. Cooper also illegally sold dog medications to pit bull owners, authorities said.

Brothers Thomas Ackerman, 26, and Harry Ackerman Jr., 30, had at least nine pit bulls and a dogfighting pit at their McKeesport home, authorities said. Prosecutors said Christopher Bryce, 28, who lived with the Ackermans, killed a dog by electrocution with one of Henderson's devices after it lost a fight and he then buried it in a backyard. State police recovered the body of a dead female pit bull in a trash bag.

Another suspect, 46-year-old Dale Shaw, had at least 10 pit bulls, two treadmills, dog medicines and dogfighting journals at his home in Jeanette, Westmoreland County, according to an arrest warrant. The Ackermans, Bryce and Henderson were being held in the Allegheny County jail Friday afternoon and could not be reached for comment. None of the men had attorneys, according to McKeesport District Justice Thomas Brietic. Cooper, who was released on an unsecured bond, declined comment and referred questions to his attorney, Ralph Karsh, who said Cooper was innocent. "This is an overblown situation. There are no allegations he took part in fights, arranged fights or had been to a fight," Karsh said. "He owned a dog store and sold people pet supplies." Shaw, who was also released on bail, could not be reached for comment.