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Large Dog Fight Ring Broken


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[url]http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=469521[/url]

12 held as dog-fight 'Premiership' ring is targeted in raids

By Jason Bennetto, Crime Correspondent

03 December 2003

Twelve men have been arrested and more than 70 pit bull dogs and pups have been seized by police and RSPCA officers who have been targeting a suspected national dog-fighting network for nearly three years.

Chief inspector Mike Butcher, of the RSPCA special operations unit, said they had been concentrating on the "Premiership" dog-fighting ring. About 50 men formed the hard-core, he said, and there were several hundred part-timers and observers.

Over the past two days, the men have been questioned about illegal dog-fights and breeding animals for the bloody encounters, where thousands of pounds can change hands in bets. Officers also recovered dog-fighting equipment, including treadmills to build up the stamina and strength of the dogs, and veterinary kits to administer first-aid to mauled animals.

Mr Butcher said the RSPCA became aware of an upsurge in dog-fighting about two and a half years ago, when several known fighters began operating again with their dogs. And there was a "Nationwide", or second division of dog-fighters, he said, who wanted to get involved but spent most of their time writing on the internet about the blood sport, rather than participating.

In the raids, homes and outbuildings where fights are suspected of being held, were searched in Barnsley, Birmingham, Chesterfield, Gainsborough, Huddersfield, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Oxford and Scunthorpe. A total of 73 dogs were seized, several of which had signs of fight injuries. Officers also confiscated scales, veterinary kits that include staples and drips, treadmills, and so called "breaking-sticks" which are used to separate the jaws of dogs locked in combat. Blood and hair samples, believed to be from injured dogs, were also taken for DNA analysis.

Ten police forces were involved in the raids, code-named Operation Gazpacho. A shotgun and cannabis was seized at one home in Kirkby, Merseyside, which was searched under laws introduced to tackle dangerous dogs.

Three adult dogs, believed to be pit bulls, and three pups were also taken for examination by the RSPCA. A 38-year-old man was arrested then released on police bail pending inquiries. At a house in south Birmingham, a 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of cruelty towards animals. Two pit bulls were seized, both of which had signs of injuries. Dog-fighting equipment was also recovered.

The RSPCA said the "blood sport" had its modern heyday in the 1970s. Dog-fights appeared to have nearly vanished in the mid-1990s, when the Dangerous Dogs Act legislation was passed and many owners took their dogs abroad. But the difficulties with enforcing the new laws and renewed interest among a band of enthusiasts appears to have led to a growth in fights.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: "A lot of these people treat dog-fighting as if it was a professional sport, such as boxing. Some people are heavily involved in betting, but most of the time they see it as entertainment. It is not about the money; it is almost the love of the so-called sport."

She said that after a dog has won three fights the owner can charge up to

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