KOLD News 13 live, local and late breaking-Dog Fighting Suspects Released From Jail

Dog Fighting Suspects Released From Jail

Suleika Acosta, KOLD News 13 Reporter

The bloodsport bust is into its second day. Wednesday, dog handlers took more dogs away from the property where they found 110 in Avra Valley.

The six suspects rounded up in the four raids are all out of jail. They made their first appearances in video court Tuesday night. The lead investigator in the case asked the judge to impose a high bail on the suspects but the judge refused. All six were released with no bond. They are not allowed to return to any of the properties where dogs were found and they can not possess animals.

Investigators say the suspects bred 150 dogs for fighting, trained them and sent them all over the country. Investigators say one suspect, Maylon Patrick, is considered among the top three dog fighting breeders in the nation.

Early Wednesday, dogs were still being sent to Pima Animal Care Center to be evaluated. Investigators are keeping the 150 pit bulls in secret locations to protect them as they are kept as evidence.

"It was really tragic and an eye opener for me to come here and see what I saw," explains Pima County Sergeant Terry Parish.

He says the largest crime scene is the location West of Tucson, where investigators believe more than 100 dogs were bred and trained to be killers. The filthy kennels tell the story.

"That would be a dirty pig pen, we've got animals walking around in their own feces and it's been there obviously for days."

Parish says these squalid living conditions took a toll on the health of many of the dogs. Animal experts from the local and national Humane Society are examining every dog for injuries.

"To live in filth and not get the care you deserve everyday on top of the fact that you're going to die a miserable death to me just made it so much more tragic."

Investigators continue to search for any evidence left on the property as they release the dogs to safe locations. Geese, chickens and goats were also found.

Jay Sabatucci with The Humane Society of the United States says busting this dog fighting operation is a setback for the underground industry that treats dogs as commodities.

"It's about gambling, it's about money. These guys make money off these animals. They'll tell you they love them, they'll tell you this is a good American past time. This is a cruel, barbaric activity it's a felony and these people need to go to jail," says Sabatucci.

The future of these animals is still unknown. Many of the dogs can not be rehabilitated but there's hope for some, especially the puppies who were less exposed to violence.