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.
Pit Bull Settles Calmly into New Digs
www.madison.com
June 16, 2006, DUNN, WISCONSIN --
The tan pit bull, No. 65768, according to the tag above the kennel in the Animal Medical Services wing of the Dane County Humane Society, didn't bark, growl or nip at the strangers who came Thursday to see its deformed front right leg, a sign that officials said suggested the dog was used for fighting.
No. 65768, one of 50 pit bulls taken from a town of Dunn home Wednesday, appeared to almost smile. It wore a thick, brown leather collar, nibbled at food in a stainless steel dish and appeared relaxed while curling up on the white blanket that separated the dog from the concrete floor.
The dog's owner was also behind bars Thursday, but it's unlikely anyone fed him tasty treats through the steel bars at the Milwaukee County Jail.
Robert Lowery, 57, was charged Wednesday with federal drug offenses, and officials with the Dane County Humane Society said Thursday they would ask the Dane County district attorney's office to file animal cruelty charges against Lowery.
Humane Society officials said they found treadmills used to train dogs, a cat used to entice the dogs to run faster on the treadmills and injuries to the dogs consistent with dog fighting.
The dogs, most of whom had been chained outside to small wooden shelters, and the other evidence were found during a drug investigation conducted by the state Division of Criminal Investigation.
Lowery's wife, Julie Ann Dzikowich, 48, was also arrested Wednesday. She has been charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. She remained Thursday in the Dane County Jail.
In 1983, Lowery, a former Dane County Sheriff's Office deputy, was sentenced to six months in jail on dog-fighting and drug charges.
"We've speculated that it was still occurring but he was not willing to cooperate," said Cheri Carr, the Humane Society's director of field operations. "We've never had the access to gain the evidence."
Carr said she has spoken with the Humane Society of the United States, which has promised to provide an expert witness on dog fighting.
The case also brought dozens of people Thursday to the Humane Society, which dropped its adoption fee in order to encourage more adoptions to make room for the pit bulls.
When the shelter opened at noon, an estimated 40 people were in line. By Thursday night, all of the 23 available dogs had been adopted. Another 20 dogs will be ready for adoption by Tuesday.
Four pit bulls at the Humane Society before Wednesday's raid were turned over to people who specialize in placing pit bulls, Humane Society spokesman Sean McBryde said, after several people called Thursday asking to adopt fighting dogs.
The seized pit bulls are not up for adoption and are being held as evidence. It was not clear Thursday what would happen to the pit bulls after the investigation is completed.
"It's hard to imagine that someone would do that to an innocent dog," said Peggy Kluge, of Monona, who brought her two daughters to the Humane Society to look at dogs. "It's a sad story."
Besides the pit bulls, officials also took from Lowery's property a German shepherd, a cairn terrier, two parakeets, a macaw, two goldfish and 26 chickens. The cat that was allegedly used in the training showed no signs of physical abuse.
"He's shockingly calm," said McBryde. "He either needs lots of therapy or is the most self confident cat on the planet."
James Jacobson, 17, of McFarland, showed up to inquire about one of the parakeets but was told they weren't available.
"I love birds so much," Jacobson said. "We wanted to take a look at it and give it a good home."
Lowery's home, at 3554 Lake Farm Road, is about three miles south of the Beltline and just west of Lake Waubesa. The property has 8-foot tall wood fencing and a chain link fence gate covered with a gray tarp obstructing views from the road. But the south side of the property lacks a tall fence and is only partially obstructed by trees, offering clear views of the area where the dogs were kept.
The sounds of barking dogs are no longer audible from the offices of Custom Metals, located near Lowery's property. "It's eerie. It's like something unnatural," said Kate Garden, 34. "All you hear now are the birds."
Those who worked Thursday on restoring the prairies near Lowery's property said they did not see evidence of dog fights but didn't like working near Lowery's fence line because of the dogs and their barking.
But a woman familiar with Lowery and the dogs said Lowery and his wife were only raising the dogs for breeding, not for fighting.
Pat Harper, 53, of Sauk City, said her son had worked for Lowery's company, J & B Lawn Service, and that she had visited the property and saw no evidence of dog fights.
She said one dog was attacked by its mother, another dog was injured by a lawn mower and another was blind from birth. "Those people loved those animals," Harper said. "They weren't abused."
Lowery's attorney, Charles Giesen, said Lowery was not using the dogs for fights and that he regularly showed dogs and has ribbons to show for it. He said Lowery was also providing shelter for some of the dogs so that they could be adopted.
Giesen said any allegations of fighting made by the Humane Society are based on "unfounded conclusions."
While Lowery has a past conviction for organizing pit bull fights, "that was a quarter- century ago," Giesen said. "That's certainly not any evidence. He knew that he was under scrutiny."
