Feds Nab 30 in Largest Dogfight Raid Ever

(CBS/AP)  Authorities have arrested about 30 people and seized as many as 350 dogs in dogfighting raids Wednesday across six states, according to the Justice Department and the Humane Society of the United States.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which cooperated in the investigation, said the target was believed to be the largest dogfighting operation in U.S. history. The raids by task forces involving federal, state and local law enforcement agencies were conducted across Missouri, southern Illinois and eastern Texas after a nine-month investigation.

According to the Humane Society, arrests were also made in Iowa, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Dogfighting is banned throughout the United States and is a felony in all 50 states. President George W. Bush signed a law two years ago that increased penalties for activities that promote or encourage animal fighting after a long campaign by animal-welfare groups.

John M. Bales, the U.S. attorney in eastern Texas, said nine people in his state were indicted on June 30 of three counts - conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, sponsoring or exhibiting an animal in an animal fighting venture and buying, selling, delivering or transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture. If convicted, the defendants each face up to five years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.

Bales said eight people were arrested Wednesday in Texas' Panola and Gregg counties. Nine dogs, mostly pit bull terriers, were seized during a search of property in rural Panola County.

Bales said a veterinarian was onsite to care for the dogs along with representatives of the Humane Society. Bales said he's filed motions to put the dogs in the care of the Humane Society and asked a judge to order those charged in the case to reimburse the organization for the cost.

Indicted in Missouri were Michael "Missouri Mike" Morgan, 38; Robert Hackman, 55; Teddy "Teddy Bogart" Kiriakidis, 50; Ronald Creach, 34,; and Jack Ruppel, 35, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Prosecutors say Hackman ran the "Shake Rattle and Roll Kennel," Ruppel ran "Ozark Hillbillys Kennel," Morgan ran "Cannibal Kennel," and Creach ran "Hard Goodbye Kennel," the newspaper reports.

"The Humane Society of Missouri is vehemently opposed to this heinous blood sport," said the Humane Society of Missouri in a statement. "The way animals used in dog fighting are abused, at the hands of people for profit, is absolutely abhorrent."

[smoothmule]

Where were the Feds when my Tessa was abused??? Where were the investigators for the Humane Society??? The Humane Society SUCKS!!
They were responsible for the trainer who did this to my mule getting away with it.
http://www.freewebs.com/tessasordeal/updates.htm

[earhaven9]

About time Missouri did something FOR animals.
Check this website- look at the photos, read what happened at human hands and ask yourself why nobody in Missouri will help in this horrible abuse case! Copy, past and look at this!!! http://www.freewebs.com/tessasordeal/arequestfortessa.htm

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[IrishWench01]

And while I'm thinking CBS, what's with the pic of the dog? How about showing a pic of the lowlife scum that were arrested or the atrocious condition of the dogs they were abusing. Why show a snarling dog in an article that is really about the victimization of dogs and the immoral behavior of worthless waste of good air.

[tmittelstaed]

I think we should spay and neuter the people involved in this practice. Where's Bob Barker when you need him!

[armyoftwelve]

STUPID! Let's have all the indicted fight a couple of starving dogs in a pit. Let's see who wins....

[billpl-2009]

wuff wuff

[mejordelahistoria]

This type of cruelty to animals unfortunately is part of our culture more and more since rappers, hip hoppers, drug dealers, mexicans and football players are promoting it. Until they give these people dozens of years in jail nothing is going to change.

[tmittelstaed]

Please tell me what hip hoppers and rappers are promoting this. I am unaware of any rap songs that advocate dogfighting, and I listen to quite a lot of rap.

[blog_fever2]

What is the difference between letting dogs fight and shooting deers, ducks, quails, etc? These animal laws are so interesting to me.

[gravyboat4000]

"letting dogs fight"?

That's a bit simple, don't you think?

And comparing dogs fighting to ANY hunting is stupid.

How's that for interesting?

[myeyedea]

The difference is the entire concept - humans are not "letting" dogs fight, they are making them fight. Nowhere in the natural world do you see any species of animal that spends its life training to fight every other of its kind it comes across - fights in the wild are usually shortlived, and for the purpose of defending territory or getting a mate. The only motive for dogfighting is for humans entertainment, and brainwashing an animal to do something it wouldn't do naturally and that brings the animal nothing but harm and stres shows the selfish and unevolved nature of humanity. Dogs came from wolves, pack animals that have a social hierarchy and a need to belong - a lifetime of fighting and slow, tortuous, painful death is not how dogs or wolves or any other creature evolved.

Secondly, hunting of any animal by a human 'usually' involves a quick death for the hunted animal, however it is killed. Deer, fowl, buffalo, they are all prey animals that have lived hundreds and thousands of years w/ something hunting for it, and if a human hunter intends to go out and get a deer s/he is not going to trap it and then play with it a while before killing it. There are regulations for seasonal hunting, whether you can kill males, females, babies, how many, what type of weapon even in some cases. Dogfighting, again, is designed specifically to be entertainment for lowclass humans, and the animals that get stuck in this world suffer their entire lives, however long those lives are. Fighting, hunting - totally different.