ASPCA Rescues 50 Dogs in Bronx Dog Fighting Case

Friday, June 22, 2012 - 12:30pm
Puppy Rescued By Humane Law Enforcement

Nearly 50 dogs, ranging in age from 12 weeks to five years, were found yesterday living in the windowless basement of a six-story apartment building in the Bronx. The space, which served as a makeshift dog fighting arena, was littered with crude wooden cages and had the capacity for roughly 100 spectators. Raul Sanchez, the building’s superintendant, was taken into custody and charged with animal fighting, a felony.

Working closely with the NYPD Vice Enforcement Division and the Bronx District Attorney's Office, our team played a critical role in the rescue of the dogs, forensic evidence collection and on-scene documentation.

Also discovered on scene were a loaded .25-caliber handgun, U.S. currency, and other equipment associated with dog fighting—including dog treadmills, harnesses, muzzles, syringes and a shopping cart full of raw chicken parts.

"Organized dog fighting is a brutal form of animal abuse where dogs are exploited and forced to fight as their owners profit from their torture," says Howard Lawrence, Senior Director of Operations for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement. "The dogs we saw today exhibited scarring and injuries consistent with fighting dogs. We’re determined to protect New York City's animals from this form of cruelty."

The dogs, many of whom showed scars from fighting, were transported to a temporary shelter for further evaluation by our emergency response medical team. The ASPCA will continue to provide legal support to the Bronx District Attorney's Office to help prosecute the case.

The investigation is ongoing.

Tags: 
Animal Cruelty
Dog Fighting
Humane Law Enforcement

Comments

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 16:24 — Alexandra (Visitor)
Millions in funding and the ASPCA still has a giant building with only room for a few dogs to be adopted. How can you claim to be rehabilitating these dogs when you dumped them in NYCs most notorious pound? Where even a yellow lab has a day or two to live. This is the final straw for me. Despite all your good work with the carriage horses and rescuing I cannot in good faith continue to support you with my monthly payments. On top of it all I am sick of getting letters every week that are clearly a waste of precious money, since I am on automatic donations. Heartbreaking that you let these guys down after rescuing them so gallantly. Sincerely, a very Disappointed Guardian.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 16:34 — Gloria Hong (Visitor)
People reading this thanking the ASPCA for being saviors need to wake up. This was a long ongoing investigation, where they knew in advance the size and scope of this ring, and most importantly: HOW MANY DOGS WERE INVOLVED in this seizure. Rather than use their vast resources, wealth, and power to make an effort to place every dog in a safe environment they dump about 20 of these dogs at ACC - a high kill, underfunded, DISEASE INFESTED, shelter where dogs had to be killed to make room for these dogs the ASPCA "saved". I'm glad to know you took the time and care to orchestrate a rather elaborate press conference so you can soak up the attention as being saviors, but you didn't take the same care/time/attention to place these dogs in a better environment. There were approx 30 dogs on the euthanasia list last night at the ACC, a higher than normal amount to accommodate the dogs you dumped. This is just disgraceful.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 16:53 — Bobbie H. (Visitor)
Thank God you saved them!! Now if we could just keep them from going to the ACC!! I cross post for animals on death row 7 days a week and most of them are in NY.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 16:58 — John (Visitor)
The boys in blue actually doing something to show real justice! Thank you guys ! Let's do anything we can people to keep all of these dogs alive and Blessed with good homes .. Fighting dogs or not we can all aid To make them house pets again ... Poor pits don't even know their own power Or size until trained to...

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 17:15 — lisa voos (Visitor)
grey hounds are bred to race and are adopted all the time..these dogs have a chance also if the high end animal leagues, especially on the north shore of Long Island, would take in local abandanded animals before importing in out-of-state dogs for homes and pray on suburban people to adopt them? Re-home at home first

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 17:15 — lisa voos (Visitor)
grey hounds are bred to race and are adopted all the time..these dogs have a chance also if the high end animal leagues, especially on the north shore of Long Island, would take in local abandanded animals before importing in out-of-state dogs for homes and pray on suburban people to adopt them? Re-home at home first

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 17:48 — Kendra (Visitor)
Thank god for you ASPCA

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 18:30 — lisa (Visitor)
its a wrong statement when you say 35 per cent, more than 35 per cent are put to sleep. sp why cheer for the ASPCA all they did was make the dogs lifes end sooner, known fact Animal Care and control hold the dogs for only a fews days, they get put down quicker there then any shelter. and that is a known fact, shame on you folks wanting this public, just to ruin your rep again. when everyone knows about the ASPCA and animal care and control, that place its the number 1 death sentance for dogs. they were better off where they were.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 18:35 — Jennifer (Visitor)
Is there a fund set up to help with the care of these pitbulls? or somewhere we can donate to a legal fund to prosecute this dog abuser? I rescued a pitbull that was abused by her prior owner. She is the best dog I have ever had and anyone who meets her just loves her.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 19:05 — loves dogs (Visitor)
Do your homework, folks. These dogs are being placed in a facility that kills healthy, adoptable dogs, puppies, cats and kittens on a daily basis. On top of that, the "care" they receive is pitiful and many of the animals end up sick, untreated and put on the kill list of illness that could have been prevented. The ASPCA is only "no kill" because they dump the animals to be killed on other facilities. God help these poor dogs and puppies.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 19:17 — Ann McCarthy (Visitor)
Is it true that the dogs were sent to a kill shelter? I know you saved them from barbaric fighting and being torn to shreds for the enjoyment of some sick bastards, I am sorry for swearing but these people just make my blood boil. You are doing great work. but I would love to hear that it was possible to then give those poor babies a chance at a loving forever home instead of dumping them at a high kill shelter.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:09 — Alex de Campi (Visitor)
The majority of the dogs were immediately shipped to Manhattan Animal Care & Control, yearly budget $12m (vs the ASPCA's $120m), yearly kill rate 50%. Now independent rescues (yearly budgets circa $50,000 or less) are scrambling to find homes for these dogs before they are killed without sedative. Thanks, ASPCA! Way to shuffle off the hard work of actually saving the dogs to organisations that have 0.01% of your budget!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:11 — Alex de Campi (Visitor)
The majority of the dogs were immediately shipped to Manhattan Animal Care & Control, yearly budget $12m (vs the ASPCA's $120m), yearly kill rate 50%. Now independent rescues (yearly budgets circa $50,000 or less) are scrambling to find homes for these dogs before they are killed without sedative. Thanks, ASPCA! Way to shuffle off the hard work of actually saving the dogs to organisations that have 0.01% of your budget!

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 19:21 — Jennifer (Visitor)
Rescue is taking them in and rehabilitating them, not moving them to a kill shelter. The only thing the ASPCA is doing is providing legal support and I doubt that is monetary. Research the finances of the ASPCA and you will be in for a shock! Quit donating to these groups (also PETA) until you research their finances and their death rates for animals. Donate to your local rescues who actually rescue animals from the kill shelters!

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 20:21 — cynthia (Visitor)
More power to NYPD & to ASPCA......God bless u people!

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 20:21 — cynthia (Visitor)
More power to NYPD & to ASPCA......God bless u people!

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 21:26 — Craig Feger (Visitor)
While the rescue is admirable, lets see what the punishment will be for the offenders. I hope the ASPCA stays with the story and prints that information. After watching Animal Cops for years, I will be surprised if the offender does more than a month behind bars. More than likely a small fine and told that he cannot own a dog for the next three years. These cases are not taken seriously by the courts.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:06 — Alex de Campi (Visitor)
The ASPCA has sent most of these dogs to NYC Animal Control, where they will be killed without sedative in the next 3 days. They have NOT been saved. They WILL die.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 22:01 — MJ (Visitor)
The dogs were dumped at a highkill ny shelter! They were not "saved by the ASPCA". !!!! Manhattan kills daily! Before you praise ASPCA - think about it. How many of the dogs in the Manhattan AC/C were already overflow? How many had to be killed to make room for these dogs, who will most likely also be killed? AC/C of NY has one of the WORST reps shelter wise in the country!! ASPCA removed the dogs from one type of hell into another...

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 22:20 — Maureen (Visitor)
Shame on you for using the lives of these poor dogs to grab a headline and toot your horn to grab at the heart-strings and purse-strings of the general public. But, how much money are you taking of out the ASPCA budget to make sure these dogs and puppies are well cared for until they can be rescued by no-kill shelters or adopted into a loving home? Yes, that would mean less that goes into administration but aren't the hearts, souls and lives of these dogs worth it? I would love for just one journalist to follow-thru to see the reality of what is going to happen to these dogs now that you have "rescued" them.

Fri, 06/22/2012 - 22:48 — Tammy fox (Visitor)
The sad part is that most of the well pit bulls will end up being euthanized due to overcrowded shelters. We need to help find these babies loving homes & this P.O.S. should be thrown in a ring w/ dog fighting pits

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 00:06 — Deborah Robertson (Visitor)
After what PETA and ASPCA did to Craig Grant and Caboodle Ranch, I don't believe the ASPCA's mission is for anything except making money, making headlines and putting animals down.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 00:39 — Shenayah Hersch... (Visitor)
It's extremely disappointing to see the ASPCA make such an unethical statement. At least 15 of the dogs they "rescued" were dumped at the Manhattan ACC, which is a kill shelter, and notorious for their disorganization, brutality and incompetence. Shame on you, ASPCA!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 02:54 — Dana Barton (Visitor)
It gives me hope when I see these stories. To know that people and agencies are really working together to rid the barbaric abuse and torture of dogfighting. Thank you God. Prayers are being answered!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:04 — Alex de Campi (Visitor)
I commented yesterday listing the ID numbers of at least 15 dogs and puppies the ASPCA shipped straight to Manhattan Animal Care & Control from the raid... and the ASPCA has deleted it. So they lie, cover up, and kill. If you want to save these dogs, donate to a local rescue, NOT the ASPCA... they just ship the dogs off to be euthanised because they can't be asked to actually rehome animals.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:13 — Alex de Campi (Visitor)
These are the ones on First Alerts from two days ago. Most will be on the "to be destroyed" list tomorrow: JO 93626, JACK 936271, GETTY 936272, BLUE 936276, RONNIE 936276, LEO 936282, BETTY 936283, LISA 936284, JOHN 936286, GABY 936287, SWEETIE 936288, ELSA 936289, KATTY 936290, DORA 936291, TARA 936293 There are more. Google "New York Animal Care & Control" (I can't put links in comments) and look these dogs up in their Mahattan branch (106th b/w 1st & 2nd). THESE are the dogs the ASPCA "saved", at the KILL SHELTER right now!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 10:59 — Ellzabeth Champ (Visitor)
So the ASPCA has "saved them" from a terrible life, only to lead them to almost certain death at the Manhattan Animal Care and Control. I'm sorry but with all the resources of the ASPCA there was no better solution? Is that really a "rescue"?

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 11:23 — Debra Freie (Visitor)
IS IT TRUE THE DOGS WILL BE KILLED THAT WAS SAVED? IF SO WHY? THEY CAN BE AND SHOULD BE SAVED PLEASE DO NOT KILL THESE DOGS!!! IF YOU LET THEM DIE THE BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS THE ASPCA WILL BE A SHAM AND YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE YOU ARE A WORTHLESS ORGANIZATION, YOU ARE THERE TO SAVE LIVES NOT SNUFF THEM OUT!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 11:50 — Deborah Erickson (Visitor)
A great job of cooperation between agencies to bring this monster to justice. I beg that these fur babies will not be taken to a public high kill shelter. Place them with rescue groups so they have a chance at a good life with truly loving people.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 13:18 — Suzy Allman (Visitor)
Let's see what the ASPCA does with these dogs after they've paraded them in front of the cameras. How many have already been left at New York Animal Care and Control? How many of these thoroughly adoptable dogs will be put to sleep within days, after the ASPCA has used them for publicity purposes and raked in the donations? Give to your local shelter -- not these crooks.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 13:39 — miranda (Visitor)
Thank you so much for saving them! The deserve happy and healthy lives just like us!

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 14:13 — Gabriele Lüke (Visitor)
Es sollte überall eine Tierschutzpolizei geben. Unsere Veterinärämter kann mal ja wohl in Bezug auf Tierschutz komplett vergessen.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 15:14 — Alexandra (Visitor)
See that puppy face?? He would never choose to fight if he weren't forced. So sad that people can be so stupid and cruel.

Sat, 06/23/2012 - 16:09 — Julie Fleiser (Visitor)
Please don't think that this is in the best interest of the dogs. Most have been taken to the NYC AC&C, where they will have a snowball's chance in hell of being rescued. I advocate for the death row dogs from there EVERY NIGHT. Most are pit bulls. Most don't get adopted or find foster homes. The NYC AC&C is run by NYC tax dollars, and is one of the most poorly run facilities in the country. NYC residents should be outraged. Please donate your hard-earned money to local shelters that actually look after the welfare of the animals. The SPCA is great at pulling at your heartstrings with their sad TV commercials, but now you see what they are really doing with your money. Passing the buck! You might as well say goodbye to these poor souls. If you want to see what becomes of them, got to Urgent Part 2 on Facebook and look under "photos". Search for dogs that were "seized" and came in with group...if you can stomach it.

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 19:05 — A Thurston (Visitor)
Julie, Your comment is very well-written and so very true. The ASPCA BRINGS ANIMALS to be slaughtered at the NYCACC. Urgent PART 2 and the "real" NY Rescue groups that follow, promote, and find fosters/adopters and "pull" these animals from Death Row are the reason that ANY homeless animals have survived the ACC. The millions of dollars that the ASPCA recieves from donations goes into their 6-figure paychecks, TV Commercials and other advertising. It makes me absolutely sick. If anyone wants to know the truth about the ASPCA, the NYCACC, the HSUS, PETA, etc., look up Nathan Winograd's articles and Facebook Page...A true animal advocate who speaks the truth...

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 10:08 — Sylvia (Visitor)
Here's a lovely thought: Mr.Sanchez becomes the "bait dog" himeself while in jail so that a group of very tough looking inmates pounce hard on him and shred him to pieces. What can I say, except, what goes around comes around. He NEEDS to have pain and suffering inflicted on him to realize that dogs are sentient beings!

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 18:48 — A. Thurston (Visitor)
The ASPCA is LYiNG!!!~MOST OF THESE DOGS ARE ON DEATH ROW AT THE NYCACC, being NEGLECTED AND WAITING TO DIE!! SOME WERE MURDERED THIS WEEKEND ALREADY...THE ASPCA is a FOR PROFIT SCAM, MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS from FOOLS LIKE US THAT BELIEVE IN THEIR EFFORTS AND THINK THEY ARE HELPING ANIMALS! They have plenty of money to promote themselves, but they are not animal rescuers...thwey are money makers!! DO NOT DONATE TO THE ASPCA if you want to help animals! Please donate to the SMALL RESCUE GROUPS that work DAY IN/DAY OUT with NO FUNDING but a true, genuine love of these voiceless creatures!

Sun, 06/24/2012 - 19:16 — A Thurston (Visitor)
To the ASPCA administrators that are deleting our comments: We have the right to give our opinions and state FACTS on this case, and have them seen by other readers, even if by doing so exposes your corrupt system. If you don't want TRUE FEEDBACK from your readers, then don't publish the articles! Your dishonesty and greed will eventually be known by all, despite your pathetic actions of deleting comments that shed light onthe true details of your rescue(NOT!) missions.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 05:21 — jan ayres (Visitor)
"The dogs are NOT safe and will be killed. The ASPCA sent them to a high kill shelter. At least 15 are already on First Alerts at Manhattan Animal Care and Control and will likely be killed within the next 48 hours without sedative... including young puppies The ASPCA takes $$ millions of your money anddoes not rehome animals, just sends them to the germ ridden kill shelter, where they'll die frompnuemonia or the needle. They put out news releases that the dogs are saved and people think the dogs are ok. Check out Urgent Part 2 fb page for these dogs from the raid. JO 93626, JACK 936271, GETTY 936272, BLUE 936276, RONNIE 936276, LEO 936282, BETTY 936283, LISA 936284, JOHN 936286, GABY 936287, SWEETIE 936288, ELSA 936289, KATTY 936290, DORA 936291, TARA 936293. Adopt of foster if you can help these unfortunata dogs who, without you, are doomed

Thu, 07/26/2012 - 12:42 — pit bulls l/f/m/s (Visitor)
do you know the fate of the 50 pits? what about these particular ones you listed? were they saved by local rescues?

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 10:28 — HonestyHelps (Visitor)
This will continue until you realize that the only way to save the pits is to support BSL. You've made your own bed and the beds of innocent pits by taking a stand against the only way to stop pits from falling into the hands of such people. You are the ones to blame for this.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 10:38 — ASPCA (Visitor)
Thanks everyone for all of your comments! Many of the dogs, which range in age from 12 weeks to five years, exhibit injuries indicative of fighting and may have other conditions. This is an ongoing criminal investigation and the ASPCA is managing the dogs’ care in a temporary shelter. These dogs have NOT been transferred to Animal Care & Control of NYC.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 10:54 — ASPCA (Visitor)
Thanks everyone for all of your comments! Many of the dogs, which range in age from 12 weeks to five years, exhibit injuries indicative of fighting and may have other conditions. This is an ongoing criminal investigation and the ASPCA is managing the dogs’ care in a temporary shelter. These dogs have NOT been transferred to Animal Care & Control of NYC.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 14:54 — Regina Nash (Visitor)
Is it true that the dogs that were rescued from the fighting ring have been dropped off at the Manhattan NYC ACC, which is a KILL SHELTER? I heard some rumors regarding this, saw some posts on Facebook regarding this, and saw in an article posted by ABC news (http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/06/47-pit-bulls-rescued-from-alleged-fighting-ring/?fb_ref=.T-T_UdCfpCB.like&fb_source=timeline that after the welfare of the dogs) that after checking on the animals' welfare the dogs were dropped off at a local shelter by the ASPCA. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE ASPCA, AN ANIMAL WELFARE AND ADVOCACY GROUP, KNOW THE HORRORS OF THE NYC ACC AND WOULD NOT DO SOMETHING AS LOW AS THIS. I would appreciate a DETAILED answer, including the name of the shelter and a contact name and number, where the dogs that were "rescued" are. I hope that these dogs will not have to be rescues all over again.

Tue, 06/26/2012 - 15:18 — Nic (Visitor)
The ASPCA always drops cats and dogs off at ACC to be killed. They say they are not but they are lying. Right now a bunch of dogs from that bust are at ACC and will be killed. For the truth on ASPCA see www.nathanwinograd.com. ASPCA is a killing machine. They protect killers everywhere. They pass legislation that means MORE animals will be killed and block legislation that would save animals. Killers

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 17:18 — alice hecht-soliman (Visitor)
Fabulous, you guys are fabulous. Thanks for taking care of such criminals as these. And thank you for taking the dogs out of danger.

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 19:15 — Robin Healy (Visitor)
6/22/12 Hi Everyone- I know this story about the Bronx bust is a little old but I just kept looking at that big puppy face that the cop was holding...with his silly eye patch and his huge big floppy ears...and what I want to do with that puppy is rub his tummy&play with his ears and take pictures&give him great big kisses and in general all of these things are done by me talking baby talk to the puppy in this very high pitched voice. My son does it the same way, minus the hi pitched voice. To me these seem like the actions of "animal lovers". I am trying to grow & changethru my experiences with all the new things I am learning by reading the ASPCA. Hating these people (like the screenwriter that punched his toy poodle in the face & killed little Lola)is so satisfying...and I am being very honest about my feelingsbecause I know that many other people feel the same as me. But in terms of criminal activity & cruelty, just outright depraved, filthy, degenerate cruelty & torture of animals:when do these people start changing from having a "normal" response to dogs & cats....or do they ever feel affection for animals? Is there a single precipitating event that changes their behavior or is it developmental across the span of years up until age 18 ? Mind you, I am NOT trying to find excuses for anyone who is an abuser and I don't think that the perp in these situations should be allowed a lesser sentence in these situations when they turn up with stories of being abused by their parents.And I also believe that a lot of these crimes do not involve a single individual, but are another sordid chapter in organized crime's book. Gotta go. Just found out the address of street where I saw kitty in window of closed diner restaurant on 10th Ave. Will blog back or somehow let all the people that care about animals like us, kno what happened. Thanks for listening or rather, reading this! Robin Burke Healy

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 20:40 — GUS HANRAHAN (Visitor)
SOMEBODY SHOULD PUT THE PEOPLE WHO FIGHT DOGS IN WITH THE DOGS AND THEN THE DOGS WILL GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE .PURE SCUMBAGS WHO FIGHT DOGS

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 23:45 — Pit Bull Lover (Visitor)
Someone once told me that "God created the world; what we do with it is up to us"

Tue, 06/26/2012 - 08:08 — Liam (Visitor)
Thanks you so much for saving those puppies.

Pages

Post new comment