February 24, 2010
ASPCA Leads Second Dog Fighting Bust in Georgia
For the second time in a week, the ASPCA helped respond to a suspected dog fighting ring in rural Georgia. On February 21, five days after the ASPCA rescued 26 alleged fighting dogs left to die in Sandersville, GA; the Washington County Sheriff’s Department received a second tip.
The anonymous call led deputies to a property in the East Sandersville section of Washington County, GA. When the Washington County Sheriff’s Department arrived, two dogs were in the act of fighting and three men fled the scene. ASPCA Investigators helped secure the scene and found nine other dogs on the property. Eight of the dogs found were severely underweight and some of the dogs were suffering from various skin ailments.
On February 16, the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team along with Washington County officials rescued 24 dogs and recovered the remains of 6 others and identified a total of over two dozen grave sites. While the two cases are very similar in nature, authorities believe they are unrelated.
“The second tip came in because the witness had seen the first case on television news reports,” says ASPCA Senior Vice President of Anti-Cruelty, Matt Bershadker. “This just proves the importance of reporting cruelty and the fact that it inspires others to take action as well.”
Authorities have two suspects in custody in conjunction with the East Sandersville case. Other arrests and animal cruelty charges are anticipated. The dogs from East Sandersville have since joined the two dozen others at an emergency shelter, where officials from the ASPCA and United Animal Nations are caring for their immediate needs. The dogs from both cases are being provided with all necessary medical care and are in the process of undergoing behavioral assessments.
For the latest information about the rescued dogs or for information on how you can report cruelty, please visit ASPCA.org.