Battered and Malnourished Dogs Rescued in Dogfighting Ring Bust

Nine battered and malnourished dogs were rescued in a dogfighting ring bust on Tuesday in Chicago Ridge, Illinois.

Among the nine rescued dogs were four puppies.

Blood was spattered in the garage of a home day care that was also the site of the alleged dogfighting ring. Devices used to train the dogs were found nearby.

“The dogs were in horrific condition,” Cook County sheriff  Tom Dart said at the Animal Welfare League in suburban Chicago Ridge. He added, “This is as bad as we’ve seen.” 

The sheriff said about 10 chldren were found in the day care during the raid but were not in the immediate vicinity of the dogs.

Police arrested four people and felony dogfighting charges are pending against several of them including the day care operators’ husband.

Dart held one cream colored 8 week old puppy that was missing an eye and had scratches on its face. “The dogs had been thrown into fights,” he said.

The Chicago Tribune reported that another dog had a back leg turned completely around.

Linda Estrada, president of the Animal Welfare League, said the dogs were being evaluated. “We’re going to fatten them up, give them love and care,” she said, “Then they will go up for adoption.”

How people can be so cruel to animals I’ll never understand. If you know or suspect anyone of mistreating an animal, it’s your civic duty to report them just as you would anyone abusing a child. These poor battered, malnourished dogs led terrifying pain-filled lives and it’s our responsibility to prevent it from happening to any other defenseless animal.