Nearly 600 pit bulls and roosters saved in an animal fight investigation in Indiana



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By Minyvonne Burke

Nearly 600 pit bulls and roosters were removed from two properties located in Indiana after the authorities were informed that the animals would have been trained in combat.

Investigators seized a pit bull Thursday morning at Martin Anderson's home in Morgan County, the Indianapolis Star reported. More than 550 roosters and nine pit bulls were found on a farm in Owen County, apparently owned by Anderson.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which helped to find animals, dogs were found attached to heavy chains and "housed in a manner consistent with dog fighting", announced the agency in a press release.

The roosters had "physical changes commonly associated with cockfighting," said ASPCA. The agency said that she was not able to provide details on the changes because it is an ongoing investigation.

According to the ASPCA, anti-animal fighting objects were also found in both properties.

Anderson is currently detained at Morgan County Jail for buying an animal intended for use in an animal-fighting competition, according to the Indianapolis Star newspaper. If he is found guilty, he risks up to two and a half years of imprisonment.

A rooster suspected of being detained for fighting the rooster on a property in Owen County, Indiana.ASPCA

The Indiana Gaming Commission executed search warrants on the properties after Crime Stoppers received a message that the dogs and birds had been trained to fight with animals.

"There is no place in the Indiana communities for animal fighting and the illegal gambling that goes with it, and we are very pleased to have been able to put an end to this operation," said the Superintendent. of the IGC, Rob Townsend, in the ASPCA press release.

Jessica Rushin, Senior Director of Partnerships for Field Investigations and ASPCA Interventions, told NBC News Friday that the rescued animals had been taken to temporary shelters in undisclosed locations for evaluation and investigation. receive medical and behavioral care until a court decides where to place them. In the past, rescued dogs were placed in homes, Rushin said.

The fight against animals has become a growing concern in the United States. Last year, the ASPCA helped save more than 4,500 animals from dog and rooster fights, Rushin told NBC.

"Animal fighting is one of the most heinous forms of animal cruelty, and unfortunately it is much more common in the United States than many people realize," she said in a statement. . "Betraying animals by forcing them to fight for their lives for so-called entertainment is despicable."

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