TX: Dog fighting scene discovered in Jefferson Co. points to ongoing problem

Dog fighting scene discovered in Jefferson Co. points to ongoing problem

By Brandon Scott Updated 10:24 am, Wednesday, March 30, 2016


Tucked away on a cramped, dead end road south of Beaumont, Jefferson County deputies this week uncovered a small dog fighting operation and half a dozen pit bulls with wounds in various stages of recovery.

Investigators seized a treadmill they believe was used for conditioning dogs and a square wooden pit where two pit bulls had recently fought.



The discovery highlights an ongoing problem for authorities. Finding and stopping dog fighting rings in rural areas is becoming increasingly difficult, according to local and national experts.

Deputies stumbled on the site by accident on Monday night after getting a call about loose horses.

Around 40-50 people were spotted at a home off Hillebrandt Road and Rogers Avenue. When the deputies got to the house and realized a dog fight was taking place, the people scattered, some running into nearby woods.

A sheriff's department spokesman on Tuesday said the homeowner claimed he knew nothing about the dog fight.

Investigators believe a man jailed in Louisiana on unrelated charges could be responsible for the larger operation.

Organized dog fights draw a cross-section of spectators from the middle and working classes to the wealthy, according to Michigan State University sociology professor Linda Kalof, who has written several academic papers on the subject.

"The increase in dog fighting comes at a time when small communities lack the manpower, resources and education to combat the illegal sport," Kalof said on Tuesday.

When Beaumont Animal Services supervisor Matthew Fortenberry started working for the city 23 years ago, dog fighting was "prevalent and not that hard to find," he said.

Increased public awareness, especially since the high-profile Michael Vick case in 2007, likely factored into Texas lawmakers' decision that same year to up dog fighting penalties from a misdemeanor to a state jail felony.

Fortenberry speculated that the greater threat of jail time has pushed a lot of dog fighting rings underground.

"They're taking the actual dog fights outside of the big cities and going to the more rural areas," Fortenberry said. "(Monday night's bust) was out in the county where they don't have as many neighbors and people to see or hear them."

The Humane Society of the United States estimates more than 40,000 people participate in organized dog fighting nationwide. Hundreds of thousands more indulge in impromptu street dog fighting, according to the organization.

"The problem is exacerbated since dog fighting takes place in abandoned buildings and other isolated areas and can be easily hidden from law enforcement," Kalof said.

Dog fighting scenes often include more than one illegal activity, such as drug dealing and gambling, according to authorities.

In the Jefferson County case, deputies said they went to the home on Rogers Avenue Monday night after catching a whiff of marijuana burning.

No arrests were made because the people in the crowd bolted, according to the sheriff's office.

The six dogs - five pit bulls and a dachshund stuffed in a barrel - rescued from the fighting pit on Monday were given antibiotics and pain medicine, said Fortenberry.

All should make full recoveries, he said.

A seizure hearing before a justice of the peace will determine what happens next for the animals.

The dogs could be adopted, but Fortenberry said the ones trained to fight could struggle to get along with other animals.

"The majority of these dogs were people-friendly," Fortenberry said. "We could hold them and pet them, but there's no way we would put them in a pen with another dog."

Dog fighting scene discovered in Jefferson Co. points to ongoing problem - Beaumont Enterprise