OH: Youngstown police uncover suspected dog fighting operation

Posted: Jul 15, 2015 12:04 PM EST
Updated: Jul 15, 2015 8:20 PM EST
By Michelle Nicks, Reporte

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -Youngstown Police and humane agents were called to a suspected dog fighting operation on the East Side of the city Wednesday morning.

Officers on routine patrol heard continuous barking along a desolate stretch of Crofton Street Wednesday morning where they found one dog inside and one outside of a dilapidated house.

Deputy Mahoning County Dog Warden Dave Nelson tells 21 News that there is evidence that the dogs are being used in the illegal practice of dog fighting.

He believes the dogs were being used as bait to provoke other dogs that engage in fights.

"This could be one of two things, the way the chains were on there security for some type of illegal activity going on in the house, or the way it is it could end up being bait dogs as far as that goes. Bait dogs are used for dog fighting. They keep the dogs at one location and then they pick them up and take them to another location to fight dogs," Nelson said.

Police say they were called to the same address in January of last year to answer complaints about dogs.

"This is a good place for people to pull up and just dump the dogs," Nelson said.

Humane agents from Animal Charity say they believe amateurs use bait dogs for illegal dog fighting, not the more experienced ones who are into the blood sport for the illegal cash that can be made.

Stefanie Boggs is a humane agent with Animal Charity in Boardman, "I just think they want to see them kill things. And they just want to see the blood. And a lot of times it's just the people who fights dogs and they're amateurs."

So the question is how can police and humane agents ensure that what happened at this home doesn't happen again?

"Housing is coming out to red tag the house and it's on the demolition list to get this knocked down," Nelson said.

The 98-year-old owner of the home died in 2008.

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Youngstown police uncover suspected dog fighting operation - WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio