Aug 12, 2009 6:17 pm US/Central
Police Dog, Handler Injured In Dogfighting Bust
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Max, a Cook County sheriff's police dog, was injured when he was attacked by a pit bull during a dogfighting raid in Kankakee County.
CBS
Dogfighting hurts more animals than just those in the ring. Nine dogs were rescued from a dogfight this weekend. Many of them still show the scars they got in the brutal activity. CBS 2's Derrick Blakley reports with the other dog that was also injured.
A German shepherd, Cook County sheriff's police dog was not only attacked by a pit bull as officers broke up the dogfight, but his handler was attacked as well.
Nine injured fighting dogs were rescued Saturday night when sheriff's police broke up a major dogfight in progress in Kankakee County. But one dog that got injured came there as a peacemaker.
Meet Max, a 5-year-old sheriff's police dog whose right ear was mauled by a pit bull that got loose as officers made arrests.
"At first, the dog was not aggressive but he came up to my dog, and as I tried to break them apart, the dog latched on to my dog's right ear and bit down, and would not let go," said Sgt. Erik Roedel, Cook County Sheriff's Police.
The pit bull badly mangled Max's ear, as Sgt. Roedel tried to save him.
"I tried to pry the dog's jaws open. That did not work. We tried numerous other ways to get the dog off. We were unable to get it off, so eventually I put the dog into a choke hold and basically choked the dog off my dog until he released," Roedel said.
The pit bull then turned on Sgt. Roedel.
"After I got the dog off my dog, the dog struggled out of my hold and latched onto my arm," he said.
And Sgt. Roedel has the puncture wounds to prove it. With Max already free, other officers finally Tasered the pit bull to end the attack.
"The actual purse of the money that was involved for individuals fighting the dogs was $20,000 to $30,000," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
And among the seven arrested for forcing these dogs to fight was one man who was charged with bringing his 5-year-old daughter to witness the violence.
"This is becoming too normal for too many people where not only do they not see it as a criminal activity, but it's more of a social event," Dart said.
As for Max, he needed 20 stitches to close his wounds, and he should recover fully, but the danger of possible infection remains.
"Otherwise, they may have to take part of his ear off if the wound does not heal correct," Roedel said.
Cook County sheriff's police have conducted many dogfighting raids the past few years. This is the first time either an officer or police dog have been injured.
The canine unit was taken to the dogfight that day to help make sure that people running from the scene didn't escape.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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