Source: WREG.com, Oct 27, 2009
The City of Memphis Animal Shelter was the scene of a early morning raid by Shelby County deputies Tuesday morning.
Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell say deputies with the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the shelter located at 3456 Tchulahoma Road and temporarily secured the facility as part of an investigation into alleged animal abuse and cruelty.
District Attorney Gibbons requested the Sheriff’s Office investigation of the City of Memphis Animal Shelter earlier this month after receiving a tip from a citizen on the conditions at the shelter.
Sheriff Mark Luttrell told us, “We are finding that some of the allegations that we have heard are true. That will just take a more through investigation to determine just how bad the situation is but on its face, we can definitely see that there are some problems here.”
According to the search warrant, “detectives have learned that some animals have been deprived of food and water while at the Memphis Animal Shelter…” and while in the shelter’s care, “some dogs have been starved to the point of requiring euthanasia.”
According to the search warrant, some of the dogs “are involved in court cases involving dog fighting and have been marked ‘Hold for Court.’”
Additionally, the warrant says that shelter employees keep “…dogs that are to be quarantined for rabies with dogs that are not required to be quarantined in the same kennel.”
“The information we received about the conditions of the Memphis Animal Shelter clearly warranted a criminal investigation, and it is very possible that one or more individuals could face criminal charges based on the outcome of the investigation,” said District Attorney Gibbons.
Janet Hooks, Director of The Division Of Public Services and Neighborhoods, suspended 12 employees to allow investigators unfettered access to the shelter and the animals. No one has been charged.
While deputies are executing the search warrant, the facility will not be open to the public, and deputies will supervise limited employees inside the shelter. Animals brought to the facility during this time will be transferred to another shelter in Shelby County.
Trained investigators with ASPCA and emergency responders with the American Humane Association are at the shelter assisting the deputies.
Source: Time Herald Record, October 26, 2009
The four dead pit bulls found in a dumpster on Route 17K earlier this month died of injuries consistent with dogfighting, town police said Monday.
Crawford police Lt. Dominick Blasko said necropsies showed that the dogs died of hemorraghing from wounds that could only be caused by fighting other dogs.
“There was tearing of flesh, bite marks and puncture wounds,” Blasko said. “There were some older wounds and more recent wounds.”
The pit bulls — two male and two female — were discovered in a dumpster owned by Jet Waste on Oct. 7. Blasko, who said the dogs had died a few days earlier, said there’s no evidence connecting them to the property owner. He also said police haven’t uncovered any evidence of dogfighting taking place in the town.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone in connection to the case.
Anyone with information should contact Crawford police at 744-3300.
Source: Philly.com, October 22, 2009
An unlicensed pet store in North Philadelphia was raided by authorities tonight and 28 dogs housed in excrement-covered cages in a back room were seized.
The dogs, mainly pit bull mixes, were being sold for as much as $1,000, said George Bengal, director of law enforcement for the Pennsylvania SPCA.
Brickyard Pet Supply at 2208 Cecil B. Moore Avenue was shut down and a man and woman described as the owners were arrested by police.
Investigators were trying to determine who was supplying the dogs and whether the store was connected to dogfighting.
A PSPCA officer made a $400 undercover purchase earlier today of a pit bull mix from the store. The dog’s ears had infections from being cropped, apparently by someone not authorized to perform such a procedure, Bengal said
The dogs – some bred at the store – were “very sick” from being kept in unsanitary conditions, Bengal said. “They were just covered in feces and urine. It was a mess,” he said.
Also participating in the raid were four state dog wardens, who oversee kennel licensing, and Philadelphia police. Bengal said the team planned to execute two more warrants tonight related to the pet store.
The man and woman declined to comment. They were arrested because the dog that was purchased was illegally disfigured, Bengal said. Their names were not immediately released.
The woman expressed shock at being arrested and repeatedly howled “Oh my God!” as she sat handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser.
