Feds Nab 30 in Largest Dogfight Raid Ever

About 350 Dogs Seized in Raids Conducted in Six States

(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.

[tmittelstaed]

Go to any dog park in any city and you will quickly see that dogs do not fight with each other unless they have been f & c k ed up by their human caretakers in some manner.

[myeyedea]

Actually dog spats (which is most of the dogfights one will see at a dogpark - a few growling snaps and some raised fur) do happen all the time at dogparks but 95% of those spats are bc owners aren't paying attention and don't know their dog's level of tolerance for stimuation. Any dog can have a situational act of aggression, some dogs just don't like being around other dogs, and some dogs are just moody. Anyone that owns an animal has to take responsiblity for learning about and understanding as much of their animal as possible - if you have a little dog that tucks tail and gets snappy when a bigger dog goes by then taking it some place where it'll be surrounded by larger dogs is irresponsible and you're just asking for that little thing to start biting. Same thing with having an unexercised, high energy dog around small children - you're asking for trouble. Socialization is a key, but an owner knowing their pets' limits is vital.

Taking a dog that finds all its happiness in interacting only with people to a dog park wouldn't be appropriate, just like taking someone who's afraid of dogs to a dog park would be illadvized. A lot of pits are that kind of dog, they're people pleasers and all of their happiness comes from human praise and attention, but if that's the kind of pit you have and you take it some place where it'll be off leash and surrounded by other dogs that want to get in its personal space, yeah, you have the potential for your dog to growl, bite, and otherwise indicate that it's not in a happy place. My pit tucks her tail and ears when another dog growls at her, and I know right away to move her away from that dog because if I leave her to her own devices she'll try to cuddle up to that dog that doesn't like her to show it that she's gentle and nice and just wants to say "hi" - which of course the other dog doesn't really care about, what it wants is for her to leave it alone.

All dogs have a personality, and all of them can get angry and frustrated or scared, and any one of those emotions can result in a spat. Flat out fighting, like what this article is about, at a dogpark ... I can't really imagine that someone would be stupid enough to take a dog with that level of aggression to a park: that would be a dog that's on two legs, straining at it's leash, foaming in the attempt to get at a dog going by; an owner that's done that to its dog would be outing a dogfighting endeavor very quickly...

[wyodutch]

More politically-correct, feel-good crap. Every day, we slaughter human beings... men, women and children in our perpetual wars for perpetual safety and people say nothing. Those same people thump their chests and spout moral indignation that a few dogs do what comes naturally. Those same people will sit down tonight to a plate of meat loaf and have no idea that the source of the meat was raised knee-deep in feces and endured far more than old Rover did.

[Solarrays247]

by wyodutch July 8, 2009 3:27 PM PDT

What these dogs are trained to do and forced to undergo is NOT something that comes to them naturally! I can assure you! And it is not just a few dogs! Try thousands uncovered just over the last couple years.

As for everything else in your post, I do agree with you 100%.

[canislupus16]

Hope they fry, and if they have any assets, take it to the max of $250,000 on each count, make their families, if they have any, suffer too. Don't let them combine pleas or plead down. Prison penalties need to be increased, though, these low lifes likely aren't intimidated by 5 years. Prison terms for conviction on multiple counts should run consecutively, not concurrently. Like I said, FRY 'EM.

[credibility2]

Put them all in a small pen with these vicious animals and let nature run its course.

[johninpennsyl]

Hopefully now all these tough guys can go to the federal "shake,rattle and roll kennel".
See how they like it.

[babooph]

Here in Asia,the cockfights are on public TV -seems harmless to all but the chickens,boring though.

[gravyboat4000]

Here in the USA, they call that ,"crossing swords". And it's on TV where you live, wow, how repulsive?

(gravy, he's talkin about chickens fighting).

Oh, nevermind...

[tmittelstaed]

Cockfighting is a little different since chickens are dumb and basically operate on instinct alone, so what your seeing is a competition between breeders as to who can breed a **** with the best instincts. It's still a rather slimy sport, though.

[Solarrays247]

How much expertise do you personally have with this type of a situation, waterandsand? Have you ever worked with a canine rescue organization? I didn't think so!

mswolfestock is correct in assuming that some dogs may be able to be rehabbed. Rescue operations across the United States have been very successful in rehabbing some of these dogs to become excellent companion animals. Others may be too neglected, tortured, deprived, and not be in any physical or mental state to be saved, unfortunately.

I would take great pleasure in placing these repugnant excuses for human beings in a fight ring, and order these lazy cowards to fight to the death, just like the dogs. These creeps take advantage of a breed that is renown for its undying loyalty to its human masters, and proceed to exploit these dogs to nth degree!

I agree with tireslinger in that law enforcement should be given the tools to enforce curtailing the freedom of these creeps to the extent that it hurts, and their bank accounts should be attached to pay for all court costs and the care and rehab of all their animals!!

[antoniof123]

How about turning the dogs lose on them. That would be like the Romans did they of course used lions but in pinch dogs will do. And I think they may have used dogs as well but don't quote me on that one.

[myeyedea]

"How about turning the dogs lose on them"

Bc there are two major types of aggression that are totally seperate here - dog-aggression and human-aggression. When the pitbull breed was designed and specialized in the early 1800's, the breeders specifically bred out human-aggressive terriors. A pitbull that will attack a human being is out of the norm for the breed, usually happens when backyard breeders start mixing in other breeds of dogs and creating irregular temperments. Pitbulls don't look at the treatment they get from humans like another human will - if I hit and kick and choke you, eventually you'll grow a pair and turn around and knock my teeth out. If I were to do that to a pitbull, most likely it will give me a very large and soulful look that apologizes for whatever it did to make me angry. Full pits are very loving animals, and it almost doesn't matter how they're treated, they will not turn on humans (if they're real pits). That's what makes dogfighting and all of the abuse that goes with it so repulsive and sick - those dogs will love their human caretakers till they die, even while their human caretakers are killing them. 5 years in jail and $250K fine isn't a strong enough punishment for the complete disregard and abuse of such unconditional love.

[tmittelstaed]

Even the dog to dog aggression can be trained out of dogs it just takes time. We have a neighbor who has a rottie/shepherd mix. The neighbor got him when he was about 2. He has severe problems with other dogs, I've seen him several times attack other dogs before being pulled off of them. However, he and our dog love playing and wrestling with each other and he takes great care not to hurt her. We took a lot of time to get the two dogs associated with each other, however.

Dogfighting is truly a sickening practice. Dogs have intelligence and are self-aware. You really have to be warped to do this to a being that has a level of consciousness. If people must do this why can't they get siamese fighting fish and bet on those, then they can feed the loser to their cat when they are done!

[myeyedea]

I agree entirely tmittelstaed; what you and your neighbor have done with your dogs is 100% right. Your neighbor's dog might be specifically dog social (i.e., likes the close company of a certain dog) and that's awesome that you both have taken the time to work w/ your animals to acheive that. Kudos.

[gravyboat4000]

Speakin of Vick, where are all of his,"fans", who claimed Vick was targeted because he was a," successful", black man?

Clearly, this is an on-going problem in this country, and Vick was just the beginning.

[ToolMangler1]

Sorry Gravy, This sport has been around nearly as long as man has, (google it), The gladiator games in rome 2000 years ago are some of the latest ways man has found to make money. I see that Television is spawning a different form of extreme sports that will result in the Coliseum of Rome being rebuilt and killings continuing just as they did when Christ was born on Earth as a human.

[gravyboat4000]

ToolMangler, why are you sorry?

I don't need to google it, I know dog fighting has been around for a long time. You completely missed my point, but that's ok, you still have one of the best names on CBS. :)

[waterandsand]

Thanks a million to all of the law enforcement folks who helped with this bust. Put the humans in jail for a long time, and hopefully the dogs can go to rehab.


haahahaha REHAB??? are you fkn that stupid? These dogs will be put to sleep within a month.

[gravyboat4000]

Sorry, but you're the one who is,"fkn stupid". A large number of Mike Vick's dogs were successfully rehabilitated.

Look it up, or are you to,"fkn stupid"?

[itgranny]

Vick gave a buttload of money to rehabilitate and care for his dogs. He did it to make it better for himself in front of the judge. These dogs won't have that luxury.

[IrishWench01]

""by itgranny July 8, 2009 6:00 PM PDT
Vick gave a buttload of money to rehabilitate and care for his dogs. He did it to make it better for himself in front of the judge. These dogs won't have that luxury. ""

Many of the dogs don't need that luxury. They will get the help they need from organizations outside and often working with the Humane Society. Many can and are rehabilitated regularly. Much more goes on than makes the national news.

[tireslinger]

Dogfighting is a beyond sick activity, that beyond sick, lazy people get involved in. It's meaningless that it is a felony offense and a waste of inventigational time, if officials don't make these charges stick. Law enforcement has to hit these idiots where it hurts most: with removal of their freedom, and add a good sharp punch to their bank accounts.

[culturechang]

Well that is what they are doing....investigating, charging and imprisoning people. I dont understand what your beef is beyond that.

[Missyriver]

I didn't realize that dog fighting was such a big sport, how awful. How can people watch animals abuse each other on purpose? Must be very sick people to be able to watch something like this.