Property owners to finance care for dogs
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 10:32 p.m.
WAYNESBORO, TENN. - The man and woman who own the property where law enforcement broke up a large dog-fighting operation Sunday have been ordered to put up money to take care of the dogs that were confiscated.
Wayne County Sheriff Ric Wilson said that during their initial court appearance, Mitchell Beasley, 43, and his live-in girlfriend, Lindy Louise Andrews, 43, were ordered to put up the bond money for the care of the animals.
"They have 10 days to get the bond money up," Wilson said.
The sheriff said bonds were also established at $25,000 cash each or $75,000 property each.
"If they do get out, they can't go back to the property until we get the dogs properly cared for," Wilson said.
He said a deputy has been staying at the property with the animals since they were confiscated Saturday night.
Beasley and Andrews were each charged with 22 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 22 counts of dog fighting.
The sheriff's office and Waynesboro police raided the residence Saturday night. They found 27 pit bulldogs, five of which were puppies.
Wilson said all of the dogs had scars from when they had been fought.
On Monday evening, while searching the residence off Rasberry Hollow Road, north of Waynesboro, Wilson said authorities found evidence where dogs had been killed and buried.
Wilson said deputies found a dog wrapped and frozen inside a chest freezer in the house.
"There were deer parts inside the freezer - at first we thought this carcass was deer until we saw the dog collar still on the animal," Wilson said.
Authorities said that outside the residence deputies found a bag of bones inside a burn barrel, scattered bones and evidence where dead animals had been buried.
"There were spots where they had put lime on the soil trying to cover up the areas where the dogs had been buried," Wilson said. "To be honest, it was an awful sight, just gruesome."
Wilson said that while the investigation continues, the immediate need is to place the confiscated dogs. He said plans are to talk with the Humane Society to take charge of the animals.
"We hope that each one can be saved. At one time, there is no doubt they were beautiful animals," Wilson said. "It's just sickening to think about what has happened to them and what they have been through."
Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.
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Comments
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November 19, 2008 9:01:32 am
I have 2 pit bull that arthe sweetest and most loyal dogs that I have ever owned. I just breaks me heart when I heard about people fighting and killing this great breed....Because of these people, Pits get the bad reputation that they have.....DON'T PUNISH THE BREED, PUNISH THE OWNER....If anyone needs my help with the dogs they rescued please let me know...My email address: melaniewhite25@bellsouth.net
Melanie White-Florence, AL
RE: Link
November 19, 2008 9:49:13 am
Your pit bulls might be loveable, loyal, kind, reverent, trustworthy, and cuter'n a baby turtle, BUT the BREED is one that has been bred to FIGHT and KILL. Unacceptably large numbers of pit bull owners have demonstrated, through tragic events,their incapability of to provide their violence-prone animals with the kind of training and discipline required to prevent them from FIGHTING and KILLING, including killing innocent persons without provocation! There are plenty of other breeds that do not have these tendencies and that can serve quite adequately as companion animals. The world would be better if pit bulls were all sterilized and the breed allowed to swiftly go extinct!
November 19, 2008 10:22:48 am
I agree with Melanie 110%. I also own a pit bull and he is the sweetest, loving dog. I have had him since he was 6 wks old, he is now 4 yrs old, and he has never once tried to hurt another animal , or another human being. My young niece's and nephew's play with this dog. If I did not live in an apt, my pit is at my dad's, I would have him in my house he is that loving. No, pit bull's should not be extinct. If that is the case, then make chow's, german shepard's, dalmations,etc.. extinct also. Pit bull's are not the only breed that attack. Just like a child, they react on to how they are raised. You teach a child to kill, it's going to kill, you teach a dog to kill, it's going to kill. I'm not comparing kid's to dog's but you get my point. It is sad what people do for entertainment. It makes my blood boil knowing what people like this do to animals. It is not the animal's fault, no matter what breed, it is the stupid owner's fault that doesn't have anything else better to do but sit around and make dog's fight. How would they like it if someone put them in a ring to fight and whoever lost got hanged, drowned, electricuted, shot or whatever they do to these poor animals for losing then scatter there remains all over a backyard. They wouldn't like it to well. This is just sickening to me and I hope they get everything they deserve. I cannot put on this forum what I wish to do to them.
November 19, 2008 11:09:21 am
beternu
November 19, 2008 12:19:35 pm
Bad owners make bad dogs.
November 19, 2008 12:21:43 pm
Proof they are the deadliest dogs. Here is the link to the complete story. Link
The deadliest dogs
Merritt Clifton, editor of Animal People, has conducted an unusually detailed study of dog bites from 1982 to the present. (Clifton, Dog attack deaths and maimings, U.S. & Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006; click here to read it.) The Clifton study show the number of serious canine-inflicted injuries by breed. The author's observations about the breeds and generally how to deal with the dangerous dog problem are enlightening.
According to the Clifton study, pit bulls, Rottweilers, Presa Canarios and their mixes are responsible for 74% of attacks that were included in the study, 68% of the attacks upon children, 82% of the attacks upon adults, 65% of the deaths, and 68% of the maimings. In more than two-thirds of the cases included in the study, the life-threatening or fatal attack was apparently the first known dangerous behavior by the animal in question. Clifton states:
If almost any other dog has a bad moment, someone may get bitten, but will not be maimed for life or killed, and the actuarial risk is accordingly reasonable. If a pit bull terrier or a Rottweiler has a bad moment, often someone is maimed or killed--and that has now created off-the-chart actuarial risk, for which the dogs as well as their victims are paying the price.
Clifton's opinions are as interesting as his statistics. For example, he says, "Pit bulls and Rottweilers are accordingly dogs who not only must be handled with special precautions, but also must be regulated with special requirements appropriate to the risk they may pose to the public and other animals, if they are to be kept at all."
November 19, 2008 2:34:22 pm
I hope they go to jail!! And stay there!! The Low Lifes!! What is wrong with people? Its not the dogs fault! Its the Stupid Dumb Idiots who treat them like that!! I wish we could put people like that on a big island somewhere. I mean all the people who have abused their pets.They are right up there with the scum drug dealers. And sink that Island. Because that is what the scum low lifes deserve. I hope they lose everything!! I have no feelings for dirtbags like that. Think of the poor animals what they have been thru!!
November 19, 2008 3:53:44 pm
People who abuse animals will abuse people. That is a proven fact. In additon, why on earth would anyone with small children WANT an animal trained in such a way? You hear about some child mauled by a pit bull with some frequency.
November 19, 2008 4:16:37 pm
As I've stated here before, anyone who chooses to own an American pit bull terrier should be held accountable for the dogs actions. If they destroy property the owner needs to be held financially responsable and if it injuries someone they should be charged as it they themselves injuried someone, likewise if the dog kills someone they owner should face and be convicted of at least manslaughter if not murder and serve substancial time in prison for their dogs actions.
Many times when someone is injured or killed by one of these animals the owners attempt to hide and deny ownership. Therefore the dogs should be registered and microchiped so the owner cannot duck out on their responsability. If a pit bull owner knew they would face prison time and high fines if their "pet" attacted and seriously injured or killed someone they would think twice about taking that last ride to the vet with their pet.
I'm sure many of these dogs ARE loving adorable pets, until they are not, then they are viscious killers of people and other animals and they need to be delt with accordingly.
November 19, 2008 4:19:23 pm
Thanks, HIFLYER, but the deadhead devoted pit bull advocates will not be impressed. They are unwilling, for the sake of the common good, to accede to any responsible suggestion for eliminating the demonstrated very high risk that pit bulls pose, far, far beyond that of other dogs readily available and just as sweet and loving to their owners! It is called SELFISHNESS!
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