New York police and ASPCA rescue 47 dogs from dog fighting ring

By Tamara

Police busted a dog fighting ring in the Bronx. Photo: © ASPCA

ASPCA and New York police seized 47 dogs, including puppies, from a Bronx basement apartment on Thursday. The dogs - mostly pit bulls - were allegedly being trained to fight in an illegal dog fighting operation. The windowless basement had a makeshift arena estimated to be able to house 100 spectators.

NYPD rescued 47 dogs from an illegal dog fighting ring

Police arrested Raul Sanchez, 57, the building’s superintendent, and charged him with animal fighting, a felony crime. Other related charges may follow. According to police the investigation began last year and is continuing.

puppies found by NYPD in dog fighting ring

The dogs were living stacked in filthy cages, officials said."It was pretty horrific," Deputy Inspector Anthony Favale, of the NYPD's Vice Enforcement Division, told reporters Thursday afternoon. "It's deplorable conditions. I couldn't even describe it."

puppies found by NYPD in dog fighting ring

Residents of the Sherman Avenue apartment building appear to have had no idea of the operation. The dogs appear to have had their vocal chords damaged to prevent them from barking and were never let outside.

They have been moved to a temporary shelter for evaluation by the ASPCA's emergency response medical team.

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Comments on this Article

Shame on those people who commit this kind of crime. I cant wait for them to go jail...

Please start a Facebook campaign to save these dogs, at least have them moved to a shelter which would save them untill they can be adopted.

@Leslie - Do people realize the ASPCA is a kill shelter. Just because it's the "ASPCA" doesn't mean a good thing all the time. Yes, the dogs may be put down humanely rather than rip each other apart, but the are still dying either way. I hope these poor innocent animals are given a chance to go to a loving home with patient people.

Shame on all those horrible people, it just makes me so sad that there are people like this out there. Maybe this would stop if we put them into a ring with a bigger, meaner person and see how they like fighting for their lives.

I hope you are wrong about them being PTS but god help them, the alternative, those beautiful babies ending up in an arena with another dog ripping it apart??? These bastards, they should be given the same custodial sentence they would get for abuse of a fellow human. They are beyond Evil. Ann in Ireland

i purposely registered to post that i am reading (from fb) the aspca hands these pups over to the nyc acc/kill shelter. if this is true, there is no reason to celebrate...except the hope/fact the perps will be duly incarcerated.

A big TY to the NYPD for their work on this!!!

NO PLEA BARGAINING! NO LESSER SENTENCES! These "people" involved are a type of terrorist. They are committing horrific crimes and calling out to others to come and relish in it. That person should not see the light of day again. NO three square meals, no full health coverage, no tv, no internet. Why do our laws provide such wonderful accommodations for those choosing to commit crimes? Perhaps if we didn't provide for all those things, we'd have more money to have more cops on the streets, more investigators to find the best evidence... I just wonder... why?

It is people like this that give pit bulls a bad name. My heart goes out to the officers that finally busted these people and I hope they get punished to the full extent of the law, unfortunately these dogs had to suffer the way they did but hopefully they will be saved and put in good homes!!!