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Do you think dog fighting is not a problem in Indianapolis?
Think again. |
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It's time for the “Circle City” to BREAK the
"Circle of Violence” |
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Dog Fighting is happening and, unfortunately it’s happening right here in Indianapolis. |
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Animal fighting is more widespread in our community than most people could even imagine. Canine victims of these heinous dog fights tuning up everyday in alleys and trash dumpsters - either dead of left for dead. Many pit bulls are found with fatal injuries, brutalized at the hands of those who gambled for money with their lives, and when bets are lost, lives are lost. Pit bulls who manage to survive but have lost a dogfight are set on fire, electrocuted, beaten, starved and left for dead by the “owners” who are angry at them for losing. |
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Criminals who host and promote dog fights are preying on the youth of our city. The young people who attend dog fights are exposed to gangs, drugs, weapons and illegal gambling. Perhaps most damaging of all, these at-risk children are being desensitized to violence and the suffering of others. |
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Dog fighters frequently have prior arrest records for such serious crimes as drug trafficking, illegal weapons possession, gang activity, and domestic violence. |
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These criminal dog fighters are right here in the city of Indianapolis, your city, your community. |
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One of Indy Pit Crew’s primary missions is to combat to animal fighting in and around Indianapolis. As part of this commitment, our members attend related court cases and go into at-risk communities to offer support and education for those who wish to rid their neighborhoods of dog fighting and its associated crimes |
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Our efforts to empower Indianapolis communities and our partnerships with Canine Crime Stoppers and other groups are vital to putting an end to animal fighting and related crimes in Indianapolis. |
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Through our Anti-Dog Fighting awareness and outreach efforts, Indy Pit Crew goes into communities throughout Indianapolis to share informational about the signs of dog fighting and how to safely and anonymously report any suspicious activity and tips. |
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Our partner in these efforts, Crime Stoppers [317-262 TIPS], offers a reward of up to $1,000 for anyone with a dog fighting tip that leads to an arrest and conviction. |
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Many Hoosiers are unaware of the widespread animal fighting in our city. Here are just a few cases from the past and present: |
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Previous dog fighting cases in Indianapolis: |
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Michael Burghy - 1430 North Samoa Street |
Charges: |
June 1, 2002, Animal Care and Control officers were dispatched to Burghy's residence on a report of animal cruelty and found 40 dogs on the property, as well as the carcasses of three puppies that had been incinerated in a trash barrel. The animals were kept in feces-filled kennels or on short, heavy chains and had inadequate food and water. Many of the animals were scarred from previous fights and some had fresh injuries. Animal Care and Control officers found a dog fighting ring in the basement and blood on the basement walls.
Burghy was charged with numerous ordinance violations, including 40 violations of the care and treatment requirements, failure to have rabies vaccinations, dog fighting and failure to properly dispose of dead animals. |
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During the trial, the City presented evidence of Burghy's cruel treatment of his dogs, including cutting off their ears and forcing them to run on a treadmill. Judge Michael Keele's ruling favored the City on all counts. The dog fighter lost his right to own animals and to operate a kennel on his property and was ordered to pay an $8,000 fine. Animal Control Officers will routinely check Burghy's property to ensure he is complying with the court order. |
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Other individuals of other cases found in possession of Dog Fighting Paraphernalia are: |
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Lee Higgins – (received probation) |
Clifton Withers – (received probation) |
Donald Thompson- Originally charged with:
(1) 14 counts of violation of the statute regarding purchase or possession of animals for fighting contests, since he possessed 14 dogs with wounds consistent with dog-fighting (Class A misdemeanor),
(2) violation of the statute regarding possession of animal fighting paraphernalia (Class B misdemeanor),
(3) violation of the statute regarding promoting or staging an animal fighting contest (Class D felony)
Donald Thompson pled guilty to the Class A misdemeanor of possession of animals for fighting contests. He was sentenced to 1 year probation requiring no contact with animals, dog-fighting paraphernalia, or other individuals found guilty of dog-fighting. He was also fined $500 and ordered to contribute $1000 to ACC. If he does not comply with the probation and fines, he will spend 180 days in the county jail. |
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Michael Sanders – 3300 N Orchard – currently in prison for cocaine dealing, plead away the dog fighting case & plead guilty to the cocaine charges. |
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Current Open Cases: |
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JUSTIN SMITH / Patrick Hanthencock- - Promoting an animal fighting contest . |
LEONARD GERMANY- Dog Fighting |
JOE VIVERETTE - Torturing /killing a vertebrae animal |
CARLTON GREER- (Warman St. - Indianapolis)
Promoting an animal fighting contest &
torturing /killing a vertebrae animal. |
ELMOS JEWELL- In June 2005, 9 dogs were seized from Elmos Jewel’s home in Indianapolis, and Jewel was charged with 8 felony counts of promoting animal fighting, 8 class D felony counts of cruelty to animals, 9 class B misdemeanor counts of animal neglect and 5 class B misdemeanor counts of possession of animal fighting paraphernalia |
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The information provided on the Indy Pit Crew website is provided as a public service and is intended to be used as reference material. The records available through Indy Pit Crew are not official records. Assessing the accuracy and reliability of information contained in the website is the user's responsibility. The information contained on the Indy Pit Crew website does not contain all information from official court records available to the public. Court pleadings, may be found in case files that may be obtained through the Courts’ Legal Documents offices but are not available through Indy Pit Crew. Home addresses are not available through Indy Pit Crew as disclosure of such information on the Internet may constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. All information available through Indy Pit Crew is public information. All persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. |
For more detailed information of animal abuse & dog fighting cases please visit www.pet-abuse.com |
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![http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_database/results.php?animal_id[]=17](http://feeds.feedburner.com/special/pitbull.1.gif "http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_database/results.php?animal_id[]=17")
