GA: Police bust dog fighting operation in Albany

Police bust dog fighting operation

Posted: Apr 25, 2010 10:38 PM EDT Updated: Apr 25, 2010 10:48 PM EDT
By Tayleigh Davis

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - 11 people are in jail and charged in connection with a dog fighting operation in Dougherty County. Federal and state agents raided a home Saturday where more than 30 dogs were seized. WALB was there shortly after the bust went down.

Animal Control officials rescued several small Pit Bulls from a home on Dower Avenue. One walked right up to us on the street. It had no tags and no collar. Animal Control picked it up. At this moment, WALB has no confirmation if it's connected to the investigation.

DNR, K-9 Units, and Dougherty County Police assisted GBI officials in their search for suspects who ran from officials.

"I was coming home from work and saw all the commotion and saw all the helicopters flying over and I really don't know what happened," said Melissa Ford who lives on the same street.

Ford says she hardly sees people at the home where agents with ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) and GBI stationed mobile command units.

"Yeah it's been empty for a long time, then all the sudden vehicles started showing up over there. You just don't ever see anybody," Ford added.

Police packed two vans full with suspects. They arrested 10 men and one woman -all charged with dog fighting. 32 dogs were in the house. Two had injuries that we know about.

"I figured they were still looking for somebody and it worries me if someone is still out there on the loose," Ford noted.

Neighbors say they heard dogs barking in the backyard but didn't think anything of it. As small children left the house with relatives, investigators continue to try and fit the pieces together.

Right now authorities aren't saying much about the investigation. As of Sunday afternoon, the two suspects who ran from the home remain on the loose.

Police bust dog fighting operation - WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |

 

Dog fighting sweep collects more dogs

Dog fighting sweep collects more dogs
Posted: Apr 27, 2010 12:27 PM EDT Updated: Apr 27, 2010 12:29 PM EDT

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - A multi-agency group of law enforcement officers has seized 18 more pit bull dogs as part of a dog fighting drag net they launched this weekend.

Right now, units from the Dougherty County Police, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Animal Control have taken custody of the dogs from a house at 3303 Aristedes Road.

That location is just off Leary Road in rural Dougherty County.

They are talking to the man who lives at that house.

Dog fighting sweep collects more dogs - WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |

 

Dog owner must pay high fine to get 21 dogs back

Dog owner must pay high fine to get 21 dogs back

Posted: Apr 29, 2010 11:43 PM EDT Updated: Apr 29, 2010 11:59 PM EDT
By Tayleigh Davis

ALBANY, GA (WALB) -An Albany man can now get back 21 pit bulls Animal Control Officers seized from his home Monday. He was cited for numerous violations of Albany's animal ordinance, but police say there's not enough evidence to charge with him with animal cruelty.

Carey Culbert showed up at the Albany Humane society to take home his 12 dogs and 9 puppies. First, he must pay roughly $800 for impound fees and vet fees.

Culbert doesn't think it was fair that Animal Control came onto his property and took all his dogs when only one puppy was injured.

" I was real shocked about it how could they come to my yard. I don't know what they were looking for but I was told by detectives they didn't find anything that would link it to dog fighting," Culbert said.

Animal Control says the dogs were held on heavy chains and in filthy conditions. That violates city code but not state animal cruelty laws. Culbert can now have his dogs back. He says he can't afford the fees that mount each day the Humane Society cares for them.

"I don't think it's fair for me to have to pay almost $1,000 for nothing. They came to get the dogs and they discovered they were not the dogs they were looking for. I think they should have brought them back," Culbert said.

Even though Animal Control officers found one injured puppy, they impounded all dogs and cited Culbert for inhumane treatment, unsanitary conditions, and failure to keep dogs updated with rabies shots.

In the meantime his dogs will stay at the Humane Society until the city and Culbert can come to an agreement.

If Culbert gets his dogs back, he'll have one week to be in full compliance with city codes. Culbert has a May 27th court date.

Dog owner must pay high fine to get 21 dogs back - WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. |

 

Albany man’s dogs remain in group’s custody

Updated: 7:43 PM Apr 30, 2010
Albany man’s dogs remain in group’s custody
May 1, 2010
Despite being cleared of cruelty charges, an Albany man’s dogs remain in Humane Society custody. -
Pete Skiba, staff writer Posted: 7:40 PM Apr 30, 2010

ALBANY, Ga. — The owner of 21 impounded pit bull dogs must come up with at least $1,750 in room and board fees before he can claim his dogs from the Humane Society shelter.

The bill grows by $10 a day for each dog, said Donna Strickland, Humane Society executive director. She doesn’t think the owner, Carey Culbert, will be able to pay the bill.

Culbert’s listed phone number was no longer connected. He could not be reached for comment.

Strickland said she is sending Culbert a letter outlining the costs. She is also hoping that he will agree to allow the dogs to be adopted.

“The dogs were not malnourished,” Strickland said, “but they were not kept in good conditions. This man might have been breeding them as fighting dogs.”

Many of the dogs were attached to heavy chains that looked like chains used on boat anchors while kept in inhumane conditions, police reports stated.

Culbert has a May 27 court date to deal with citations of inhumane treatment, unsanitary conditions and failure to keep the dogs on updated rabies shots schedules, police reports said.

The Albany impounding came after a sweep of a possible dog-fighting ring in Dougherty and Worth counties put more than 100 dogs in the shelter and 14 people in jail.

If Culbert has any connection to any dog fighting rings it has not yet come to light, said Phyllis Banks, Albany Police Department spokeswoman.

The shelter is overburdened with animals and can used pet food, volunteers and donations, Strickland said. The shelter is at 1705 Oakridge Drive. The phone number is (229) 888-7387.

Albany man’s dogs remain in group’s custody