Fighting (dog)
Date 03-24-1995
County Hillsborough
Suspect Keith Gaddis and Roy Frederick McCalister
Address 300 block of West Park Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
Animals seized 10
Animal type pit bull and chow dogs
Investigators continued a probe into organized dog fights Thursday with the confiscation of 10 pit bulls and other breeds from a home north of downtown Tampa.
Armed with a search warrant, Hillsborough County Animal Services agents took six adult pit bulls, one adult chow and three pit bull puppies from a back yard in the 300 block of West Park Avenue.
Scars on the dogs' legs, chests, heads and shoulders, obvious hip problems and the animals' aggressive attitude suggested they were bred and used for fighting, said Cyndi Eshleman, an animal control investigator.
"We had to break up a couple of dogs on the truck," said Eshleman, sporting dog blood on her uniform and a swollen right hand from the ruckus. "Some of the animals had some scarring that's consistent with dog fighting."
The latest bust is part of an attempt by city police and the county agency to stop what they perceive as a growing trend of dog fights. Bets on the bouts can range from 12-packs of beer to thousands of dollars, Eshleman said.
"Your professional-level fighters will travel state to state to fight," she said. "You'd never know they're into that stuff."
Animal control officers will petition to gain custody of the dogs seized Thursday from Roy Frederick McCalister and Keith Gaddis, both 23. If they succeed, the dogs likely will be euthanized because the county doesn't allow residents to adopt pit bulls, Eshleman said.
"They've been trained to fight," she added. "We can't take that chance."
The owners are being investigated on suspicion of cruelty and improper confinement, both misdemeanors, and animal fighting and baiting, a felony. The dogs were found crammed into various-sized cages without food or water, and some had started eating their own feces.
Officers also seized pictures and videotapes to see if any dog fights were filmed.
