By Tracey McManus and Chase Rogers, The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS — Law enforcement officials seized 207 dogs from dozens of locations around Dallas this week in an operation between local, state and federal agencies that is one of the largest alleged dogfighting busts in Texas.
Officials also confiscated 66 firearms, 534 grams of cocaine and 578 grams of marijuana in Operation Fight Club, carried out Tuesday by the Dallas Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI Dallas Safe Streets Task Force, according to a Dallas police statement.
Dallas police have not announced how many people were charged in the sting. Spokesperson Allison Hudson declined to answer specific questions about the operation, citing ongoing investigations.
Weeks before the operation on Tuesday, officials prepared with Dallas Animal Services, the Carrollton-based Operation Kindness Humane Society, SCPA of Texas and national forensic investigators with ASPCA.
About 150 of the dogs were transported to an ASPCA recovery center to receive medical care, behavior exams and sheltering, according to a statement by the welfare organization. The remaining dogs were handled by Dallas Animal Services, and some may be transferred to SCPA Texas for specialized care, said Courtney Burns, chief investigator with SPCA Texas.
It was one of the largest cases the ASPCA has assisted with nationwide in terms of number of properties, said spokesperson Alexandra Garza.
The operation was notable not just for coordination among multiple agencies, but because it targeted dozens of locations without suspects being tipped off about the investigation, said Meredith Jones, chief of staff for Operation Kindness Humane Society.
“It was really important that all organizations involved knew which teams were going to be on which properties at which times so people don’t get a heads up,” Jones said. “This was so very well planned and thought out.”
Dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states, including in Texas since 1983, but the blood sport persists in rural and urban areas. Burns said it can be difficult to target due to the underground nature, but it inflicts immense suffering on the dogs forced to fight to the death.
The operations typically turn up drugs, guns and other criminal activity, Burns said, as shown in this week’s bust.
“At the end of the day, it’s organized crime, and it can be really hard to catch, so I was excited to see it all come together,” Burns said.
The organizations set up a command center at Fair Park on Tuesday, where officials took the animals for further evaluation and prepared them for transport.
Veterinarians and investigators with Operation Kindness Humane Society and ASPCA deployed to the alleged dogfighting locations with law enforcement. Jones said being able to evaluate the animals on the sites, not just after the rescue, helps preserve paraphernalia, add context to their living conditions and build criminal cases.
Investigators also recovered treadmills from the locations, a common tool used to condition animals for fighting, Burns said.
One targeted site was in Lancaster, according to photos provided by ASPCA. Another bust took place in Ellis County, which was handled by the Department of Public Safety.
Officials with Dallas Animal Services declined to answer specific questions about the operation. In a statement, assistant director Victoria Chittam Bennett said the shelter is coordinating closely with police regarding next steps.
Bennett said the community can help by adopting or fostering other animals that are currently available for adoption at the municipal shelter. As of Thursday, the shelter’s dog kennels were at 136% capacity.
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