Tails in the news
Major dog fighting bust leads to tragic ending
for 61 area dogs
While the 61 Pit Bulls seized during a massive raid in March will no longer be forced to live out the horrors of the modern dog fight match–the blood soaked fur, the locked jaws, the broken bones–they face death by euthanasia; an unfortunate end to a tragic story.
On March 24, federal and state agents, working in conjunction with agents from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), raided a large-scale dogfighting convention in Southwestern Ohio. In addition, seven other dogfighting rings were busted around the state, including in the cities of Dayton and Cincinnati. Due to the mental state of the 61 animals seized (a total from all of the busts) a federal judge ordered their destruction by euthanasia. The raids concluded a year-long investigation that was being conducted by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and at the federal level through the USDA’s Inspector General.
“This was definitely the largest dog fighting investigation that the USDA office has ever done,” says John Goodwin, Deputy Manager of Animal Fighting Issues at the HSUS. “I’d say that dogfighting has been treading upwards in urban areas for several years now. Dogfights are more prevalent in urban areas because it’s an urban gang related phenomenon.”
Agents arrested 25 participants, including a major ringleader, Terry Kendrick of College Hill. Of the people arrested, 19 were indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury last month and will face an array of charges due to other illegal transactions that were going on during the dogfights. According to Goodwin the investigation started with a focus on dogfighting and animal cruelty, but in the end covered a whole range of illicit activities. Kendrick could face up to 26 years in prison if convicted because of 18 charges, including promoting dogfighting and the trafficking of marijuana. Above all though, the main point of the investigation was to put an end to the inhumane sport.
“Most of [the dogs] were sweet with human beings but when you put them in front of another dog they just go crazy,” says Goodwin. “It’s not the dogs’ fault. The blame lies on the shoulders of the people who bred them and trained them to kill.”
Dogfighting is banned in all 50 states, however is only a federal offense in 48; Wyoming and Idaho have yet to pass legislation in favor of change from misdemeanor to felony offense. The act is illegal not only for those who promote or host the events but also for spectators or anyone involved with the gambling side of it. Due to federal laws however, most dogfighting charges carry a sentence of up to one and a half years with only a minimal fine. While the recent bust and others like it will help to curtail dogfighting, groups like the HSUS believe that penalties should be stricter.
“I think you have to send a strong message and have stronger sentences if you really want to deter dogfighting,” says Goodwin. “I think that lengthier prison sentences and larger fines are needed to offset the game of participating in this crime.”
Ohio woman charged with animal cruelty
Columbus city prosecutors recently charged Maureen McLaughlin, a 56-year-old woman accused of killing more than 600 dogs and cats, with one count of animal cruelty. McLaughlin, who worked in the animal rescue industry for 16 years, allegedly posed as a rescuer in order to gather up homeless or shelter animals in order to kill them. According to her confession, her actions were prompted by anger toward the flawed animal adoption system and her belief that she was putting the animals out of their misery.
“We’re horrified that a person could do something like this,” says Dean Vickers, Ohio Program Director for the HSUS. “The sheer number is
just staggering.”
According to authorities that received McLaughlin’s confession, she placed the animals in dog crates and then submerged the crates in a large garbage can filled with water, ultimately drowning the animals. McLaughlin says she started her killing spree in 2002 and continued up until this year, taking the lives of 650 animals over a five-year period. So far, however, officials have only recovered one carcass. McLaughlin checked into a mental hospital in Mansfield earlier in March where she was diagnosed with psychiatric problems but now faces her formal sentencing. Ohio’s current anti-cruelty law calls for a maximum of one and a half years in prison, despite the number of animals that were killed. According to Vickers the HSUS believes that the sentence should reflect the numbers and that a more realistic sentence would be 10 to 15 years.
“It’s very frustrating that someone could kill all those animals and get nothing,” says Vickers. “The punishment doesn’t even remotely fit the crime. It isn’t like it was a spur of the moment accident. She planned this out. These were conscious decisions she made.”
After her arrest McLaughlin was quoted as saying, “I just want people to know that I was trying to prevent a long, protracted, horrible death of life on the streets with a 90 second death. It was only 90 seconds. I know it was awful but it was 90 seconds.” McLaughlin is currently being held with a bail set at $200,000. She will await possible conviction sometime this month.
Local dog club to host fundraiser
The Muttleys’ 4-H Dog Club, based in Monroe Township, is set to host its 3rd annual fundraising dog show on May 19 at the Miami County Fairgrounds in Troy. The event will raise money for new training equipment at the club, sending kids and participants to the Ohio State Fair’s Dog Skillathon competition, and an eventual annual Christmas party. The group is also hoping to raise funds in support of a new local dog park that serves as a meeting spot for many of Monroe Township’s dogs and guardians. Muttleys’ 4-H dog club trains dogs to compete in local and statewide dog shows through basic obedience and showmanship programs. Members of the club begin their training programs in early February, and no later than mid-March in order to compete at a fair. Scott Parker, a director and show organizer at Muttleys, believes that 4-H shows teach the kids important
life lessons.
“It teaches kids responsibility,” says Parker. “The kids are 100 percent responsible for their dogs and they learn more about their animals than if they were just regular household pets. It takes a lot of dedication and that’s amazing when you’re talking teenagers.”
This year’s show will feature some new categories including a team group obedience event as well as more prizes for all participants and a professional photographer to take photographs of the kids and their dogs. Parker would also like to see a larger turnout of participants this year and hopes that many of his kids will qualify for future shows including the Ohio State Fair.
“Last year the participation doubled,” says Parker. “We’re hoping that it will continue to
do so.”
Currently the club offers training sessions the first, third, and fourth Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Savini Barn in Troy. For more information on the club or to make a monetary donation for the event, visit Muttleys’ website at Muttleys4H.org or call Scott Parker at (937) 845-8238.
