Many people end up at www.UnchainYourDog.org because they are looking for information on dog fighting. We agree with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons that Cruel's Not Cool (Listen to Simmons or see poster).

Please, have a heart and treat other living and feeling creatures the way you want to be treated: with respect and kindness. Dogs are social animals who - in the wild - hunt together, sleep together, and play together. It is a dog's nature to respect the pack leader and get along with the rest of the pack. Not to fight. Dogfighting is cruel, unnatural, and wrong.

Dog fighting is a felony, so report it to the police! To learn more about dog fighting and how to stop it, visit our Dogfighting page.


 

Man Suspected of Dog Fighting, Trailer Theft

By: Marcia Miller, Bradford County Telegraph, Florida

January 2, 2004  -- An investigation into a number of trailers missing from the Keystone Heights area has led to what is thought to be the largest animal cruelty case ever investigated in Clay County, said Clay County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Mary Justino. Joseph K. Lewis, 41, of Keystone Heights has been arrested on charges of grand theft and is being held in the Clay County Jail on $55,000 bond. Charges from related incidents of animal cruelty are pending, said Justino.

Justino said a Clay County investigator was riding in a U.S. Customs helicopter over the Jones Creek Road area of Keystone Heights when he saw something that led to further investigation. Customs helicopters make regular flights throughout this area of Florida while pilots look for marijuana patches from the air. Sometimes investigators from local departments ride with the Customs pilots when they are looking for large items that might be hidden in the countryside. The Clay investigator rode with a Customs pilot on Dec. 22, looking for utility trailers that had been stolen from Keystone Heights and the surrounding area. The investigator spotted what looked like one of the trailers from the air. Once back on the ground, investigators went to the Lewis property on Jones Creek Road and identified the trailer as one that was reported stolen.

During a consent search of the property, investigators found a total of 32 dogs - most of them pit bulls - that were tied or chained to trees all over the 10 acres of the Lewis property. Justino said the dogs had obviously been mistreated. Many were injured and most appeared malnourished. The dogs were confiscated and taken to the Clay County Animal Shelter in Green Cove Springs. One dog has since died of malnutrition after having eaten amounts of hay, apparently a result of hunger. The other 31 will be held as evidence. They will be fed and given medical attention.

"We think that Mr. Lewis was using these dogs to fight," said Justino. "The injuries were consistent with dog fights. Most had scars on their faces, necks and noses. Some of them had open wounds and broken limbs." Justino said investigators also found a makeshift treadmill, allegedly used in training the pit bulls, and makeshift veterinary supplies, with which Lewis allegedly treated the animals who were injured in fights.

Justino said investigators think the trailer thefts are connected to the dog fighting. "Dog fighting is all about gambling. We think he was using the trailers and possibly other items (as collateral) to place bets on the dog fights," said Justino. The trailers may also have been used to transport the dogs to the fight locations, which investigators believe were out of state. "We don't think any of the dog fighting occurred in Clay County," said Justino.

Lewis' property is in a very isolated area of Clay County, and with 10 acres available to him, neighbors were not in a position to know what was happening with the dogs or the trailers, said Justino. She said grand theft charges have already been filed against Lewis and the investigation will continue in relation to the animal cruelty charges. The dogs will be held as evidence until the investigation is completed - a process that should take about two weeks. At that point, the state attorney's office will decide if the dogs should be maintained as evidence or if the animal control process can take over.

Once the state attorney's office has released the animals from evidence, it will be up to animal control to decide if they are adoptable or not. Unfortunately, since most of these dogs have been trained to fight, they will not likely make good pets for families. "There's a good chance that the bulk of these dogs will have to be put down," said Justino. "But you can't adopt trained fighting dogs to families with kids - you have to consider the safety of everyone involved."

She said there are some puppies among the total number of dogs who might still be rehabilitated and be appropriate as pets. There is also one litter of puppies that were born after the animals were confiscated, and these will likely be available for adoption.
"Obviously they will try to save as many as they can," said Justino.

Justino said the Clay County Sheriff's Office wants to hear from anyone who has information on either the grand theft case or the pending animal cruelty case. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information. People can either call the main sheriff's office number at 904-264-6512 or can provide information anonymously by calling toll free 866-845-TIPS (8477). The reward will be available to anonymous callers as well.

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