Local dog fights busted

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MALAD - Oneida County Sheriff's deputies uncovered an apparent large-scale dog fighting operation Tuesday while searching a home on a drug warrant, Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said.

The Onieda County deputies reportedly discovered 26 adult pit bulls and four puppies, along with blood evidence that indicated illegal dog fighting was taking place at the residence.

Hours after the illegal operation was discovered in a home suspected of possessing marijuana, law enforcement officials removed the animals from the crime scene.

Nielsen said he contacted Onieda County Sheriff Jeff Semrad, who's currently away on vacation.

Oneida County officials did not provide details about the dog fighting ring and have scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. today.

Pocatello Animal Control Director Mary Remer said Onieda County officials requested assistance with the dogs Tuesday because the county currently has no animal shelter. Officials planned to transport the animals Wednesday to the Pocatello Animal Shelter.

Onieda County notified her Wednesday morning, however, that the animals had been inexplicably taken sometime Tuesday night.

Remer said the adult dogs aren't adoptable and will most likely be euthanized at the Pocatello shelter after court proceedings.

''It's been ingrained into them to attack and keep attacking until the opposition goes down,'' she said.

Remer said the violent pit bulls could pose a danger to other animals.

The Bannock County Humane Society addressed the Legislature last year and asked for tougher dog fighting laws in the state.

''What we heard is that if they weren't hearing about it in the news, it wasn't happening in Idaho counties,'' Remer said.

She fears that Idaho's relaxed laws - dog fighting is currently a misdemeanor in the state - might encourage more dog fighting rings to form in the state.

''This is the first time we've had evidence of dog fighting,'' she said. ''We get reports, but by the time we get warrants, the dogs are gone.''

Idaho Rep. Donna Boe said she learned about the Onieda County incident from a Bannock Humane Society volunteer.

Boe, who introduced legislation three years ago that would have made dog fighting a felony in Idaho, said the crime contributes to other illegal activities.

''From the Michael Vick case we've learned that dog fighting goes along with gambling and drugs,'' she said.

On Monday, Vick, a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, was suspended without pay by the National Football League hours after he plead guilty to financing a dog fighting operation on his property, the gambling associated with it and to taking part in the killing of at least six dogs that did not perform well in fights.

Remer said at least one pitbull or pit bull cross is taken in at the Pocatello Animal Shelter every day.

''I think people get pit bulls for the status, but they don't realize how much work they are,'' she said. ''Pit bulls have a very high play drive. They're smart, and they take a lot of work.''

By Debbie Bryce

dbryce@journalnet.com

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