Local News

8 Dogs Possibly Used For Fighting Confiscated

CHICAGO (CBS) ― Chicago police took eight dogs from a Northwest Side apartment building. They believe the dogs were part of a puppy mill for dog fighting.

Investigators say the pitbulls (three adults and five puppies) belonged to a convicted felon who lived in the basement on west Altgeld. A new law prohibits felons from owning dogs that haven't been spayed or neutered, but the building's manager says the dogs belong to a friend of hers and she takes care of them herself.

"We have their papers, we have their proof to show they got their shots, they have their tags and we will get our dogs back," said Maria Melendez, building manager.

Melendez says police damaged several doors and the ceiling of one apartment during their search.

Officers found several items at the 5259 W. Altgeld St. home consistent with dog fighting and training. Chains with heavy locks, often used for strengthening dog's necks for fighting, and chewed-up rubber tires like those used to strengthen the jaws of fighting dogs were recovered, Grand Central District Tactical Lt. John Garrido said. The remnants of a possible fighting pit, a round patch of dirt outlined in bricks, was also found in the backyard.

In addition, the adult pit bulls, two females and one male, had evidence of minor scarring on their heads and the male had his ears cut "extremely short," a tactic often used in dog fighting to prevent the opponent from grabbing onto the dog's ears, according to Garrido.

The puppies, which were only about a few weeks old, did not show any visible signs of injury.

The adults also showed behavior typical of fighting dogs. "Dogs that are used for fighting are generally very timid around people but very animal aggressive and that was the case here," according to Garrido, who said one of the animals urinated on the floor when approached by officers.

The search warrant was obtained Thursday morning, several days after officers spotted the dogs during a routine call. An offender from an aggravated battery call several blocks away had run to the Altgeld Street address, at which time, officers apprehended him and saw the dogs. The home's resident subsequently admitted the dogs belonged to him.

Police have responded to a number of calls to the Altgeld Street apartment in the past for problems ranging from gang disturbances to narcotics calls, according to Garrido, who said he soon discovered the resident was a felon, making it unlawful for him to own "unfixed dogs."

"Officers in the district are familiar with [that home]," Garrido said. "In the past five years, 20 people that have been arrested have used that address as their address of residence."

Under Illinois state law, it is illegal for felons to own animals that are not spayed or neutered for 10 years after their release from incarceration, Garrido said. Possession of certain dogs by a felon is a Class A misdemeanor.

"This [law] is a good tool for us to use because dog fighting often does go hand in hand with gangs, drugs and violence," Garrido said, noting that most fighting dogs are not "fixed" because doing so takes away some of their aggression.

The focus of the search warrant was initially a felon living with unfixed animals, but later shifted after evidence of possible dog fighting was uncovered, according to Garrido.

The dogs were in the care of city Animal Care and Control on Thursday evening and will be looked over by a veterinarian within the next day, a department spokeswoman said.

The STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---