Suspected dog fighting pit bulls returned to owner

Columbia,SC -- Thirteen pit bulls seized in Rock Hill will be returned to their owner, according to a ruling handed down Tuesday by a York County judge.

The dogs were taken Friday over concerns of a possible dog fighting ring.

They were brought in with serious injuries.

Dr. Robert Chappell was the veterinarian called to the scene Friday when York County Code enforcement officers found 13 pit bulls chained up in the woods behind a house.

"These dogs were extremely what they call "game." They would jump on any animal that comes around. They're extremely friendly toward people but would not tolerate being close to another dog," says Chappell.

And that's the warning you see on the cages at Chappell's clinic in Fort Mill where five of the dogs are being housed.

The dogs were kept in the woods behind the house chained up with logging chains and only one house for all 13 of them.

At the house Chappell didn't see any signs of a training area, but the visible scaring of the animals and lean, almost emaciated condition they were in told the story.

"A lot of the dogs had old scars new scars fresh bite wounds, tissue damage, and scaring on their face where they had been fought several times in the past," says Chappell.

Despite their appearance, a court vet Tuesday said the dogs are in pretty good health, and only lack rabies shots.

There was also no hard proof the dogs had been used for fighting.

The dogs' owner has agreed to get them vaccinated, and to provide adequate shelter.

York County code enforcement officers will make random inspections of the dogs for a year to make sure they are being cared for.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8749033&nav=0RaPdNoB

 

Nice im glad to see this thanks marty for posting this. This was pretty close to me not even 15 miles.

 

:eek: Are you shitting me? They gave them back?!?!? Thats awsome! One house for 13 dogs is a bit much but at least they gave him a chance to make things right instead of killing all his dogs. Funny how they say DA is "GAMENESS" though. Keep feeding JQP the BS and thats exactly what he'll feed anyone who'll eat it. Kind of makes me glad to have this site at my disposal. EDUCATION!!! Nuff said. YIS, DJ.

 

Yeah saw that on the news today,but he hasn't gotten them back yet

 

I'd be willing to bet they're going to delay returning the dogs as long as they can while they file an appeal.

 

that right there is grounds for animal cruelty. imho this guy shouldnt get the dogs back untill he can provide adeqaute shelter for EACH dog. a stupid 55 gallon drum doesnt cost but $15...and if you cant afford that-you shouldnt have that many dogs, end of story. if you want to keep dogs, be prepared to ~gasp~ take care of them. im glad they didnt euth the dogs, but this owner is not helping the cause one bit

 

Well in my opinion whether he should get them back or not it is in our best interest that he does. So if there is anyone in that area that has an extra house or can get whip that yard into respectable shape quick - it would be a good idea to help out your neighbor.

 

I think he should have to put housing in place for each dog before he gets them back. Pretty sad when a person can't even provide a doghouse, thats sort of the bare minimum, IF that claim was true.

 

Dont play the media and jump on the guy before you know the facts. You dont know what they are calling a "house". A friend of mine had a barn that he cut 7 holes in for doors, had running chains going outside and stalls built in for each dog. Is that not one big house? Give dude the benifit of the doubt.

 

lol, I don't trust this story. They have an ulterior motive for giving him his dogs back I'm sure. In 99.99% of the cases nationwide if a dog shows ANY signs of "being fought" esp. fresh wounds, those dogs are gone & the owner is in jail. But he is out & they're giving him his dogs back?? OK, either he is one big, fat, rat who cut a juicy deal OR they're turning him loose to watch him & see if they can make a bigger bust.

JMHO ...

 

Maybe i read it wrong but i took it as One Household owned all 13 dogs...

 

or maybe they just have no proof of anything illegal.... Scars and wounds don't mean shit... Hunting dogs of all breeds have tons of scars if they are used for hunting, and we all know scraps and Dog agressiveness happens with allot of breeds....

 

Yeah right. Look what they did to FB, PP & countless others on little to no evidence. Trust me, something foul is afoot here ...

 

indeed. Exactly what I was thinking.....especially when it said "there was no hard proof of the dogs being fought" In my head I'm thinking "when did that ever stop these folks?" Anyone who knows this guy, steer clear.....

 

differant states do differant things with differant people.... it said he didn't have ANY thing linking him to DF.... just scared dogs.... and that alone THANK GOD isn't enough

 

I guess I'm just a little suspicious (OK, a LOT suspicious) b/c I have been on the inside & I have seen how LE operates. I don't think it has anything to do w/ states or locales. Cops & AC act the same everywhere. One of the biggest traps they use is to let a guy think everything is A-OK & let him go only to follow him & bust him & his friends later. Or they agree to let him go if he can turn some folks in. I'd bet my eye teeth that either they're setting this guy up or he's a rat. Don't be fooled. Since when do they NOT connect fresh (& old) fight wounds w/ the owner?? This *may* be a case of AC/LE doing the right thing but I highly doubt it.

 

thats why people shouldn't shit where they eat....

 

lol. You sound like my husband. He says "don't sh.t in your own nest." You Tennesseeans!

 

Update... Attorney explains why 13 pit bulls returned to owner

Thirteen pit bulls found cut and scarred were seized by York County sheriff's deputies this weekend, but a judge returned them to their owner on Tuesday.

After the ruling, WCNC received many e-mails from viewers asking why the owner was allowed to reclaim animals that appeared to be used for fighting. We took your questions to Sheriff's Attorney Kristie Jordan.

Jordan was in the courtroom Tuesday and heard the collective gasp as the judge told pit bull owner Richard Leach he would get his dogs back if he follows court orders.

"I think he got away with it and the next guy's going to," said animal rights activist Janet Richardson.

"We're very sad, disappointed that you can have 13 pit bulls, have them on heavy logging chains," said Alicia Schwartz with the group Dogs Deserve Better.

Jordan explained the court provisions Leach will have to follow, saying, "Before the dogs go back they will all be spayed and neutered. All of the rabies shots will be done prior to them being returned. They will be micro-chipped."

Investigators found only one doghouse on Leach's property and state law requires a shelter to accommodate all 13 dogs so they can escape bad weather.

"Our officers will go out and make sure he has the appropriate shelter that's required," Jordan said.

Deputies will also make sure the dogs have enough food and water.

But what has animal rights activists most upset are the allegations of dog fighting.

"There were scars on the dogs," said Richardson.

"There were scars. That clearly was dog fighting, but it may have just been normal dog fighting between these dogs as opposed to scheduled dog fighting," Jordan said.

Jordan also said when it comes to organized dog fighting rings, "They're micro-chipped, so if they show up we'll be able to prove they're his animals."

Jordan says there's no limit on how many animals a person can have in unincorporated York County simply because the laws have not caught up with growth.

"Big subdivisions encroaching on the rural. A lot of people who still have goats, chickens," Jordan said.

Leach still faces three charges related to neglect.

"And quite frankly there's nothing else we can do with 13 pit bulls," Jordan said. "We cannot adopt them. It would not be safe for anyone."

http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-073008-mw-pitbullquestions.1a776deb.html

 

OMG!!! It appears there IS someone out there with an ounce of sense!!! :eek:

Too bad there aren't more like that.

Good to hear the reasoning though.