Fighting (dog)
Date 01-18-2007
County Hillsborough
Suspect Darrian Antwan Smith
Address 727 McDonald Road, Plant City, FL 33567
Animals seized 13
Animal type pit bull dogs
Fresh gashes and old scars mar their faces and legs. They appear so malnourished that their dirty fur seems haphazardly draped over their jutting rib cages. They are 12 pit bull terriers seized Tuesday at a Plant City home and thought to have been bred and trained for blood sport.
Investigators deem the dogs as evidence of a crime. County ordinances describe the wounded animals as property. Authorities are looking for the man who they say allowed such damage to occur.
A warrant has been issued for Darrian Antwan Smith, 28, who is wanted on four counts of animal cruelty, eight counts of dogfighting and 13 counts of improper confinement of animals, officials said.
On Tuesday afternoon, a probation officer visited Smith's property at 727 McDonald Road, east of State Road 39. Smith was not home, but the probation officer noticed 13 pit bulls near the house and tipped off Hillsborough County Animal Services.
Three dogs were chained to the undercarriage of a dilapidated mobile home and 10 were chained to posts scattered through a field of tall grass, animal services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said.
The dogs were taken to animal services' shelter while the search continued for Smith, who was placed on two years' probation in June on drug charges, according to state records.
One of the seized dogs appeared to be in decent health. Investigators think it was Smith's personal pet, Ryan said. Another was in such bad condition it was euthanized Wednesday afternoon. The surviving dogs suffer from malnourishment, anemia and parasites, Ryan said.
All bear the tooth and claw marks of a life spent fighting other dogs to pad their handlers' wallets, Ryan said.
"This is an investment to them," Ryan said of the handlers. "The standard community practice is to provide food, water and shelter [to animals]. This is just despicable."
Ryan said she does not want people to taunt or fear pit bulls, despite the breed's bad publicity.
"They weren't born this way," she said. "They were bred and trained to be aggressive. They've been maligned."
The lacerations on the dogs' bodies are ferocious, yet the animals seem timid. Locked inside their kennels at the shelter, most of them wagged their tails and tried to squeeze their snouts through the gate when visitors approached.
"Some of them are people-friendly," Ryan said. "They will be happy to see you. But they'll take the head off another dog if given a chance."
The pit bulls' fates are grim. It is difficult to find homes for dogs that show aggression to other animals, and dog rescue organizations rarely risk taking on dogs with a history of fighting, Ryan said. In all likelihood, the pit bulls will be euthanized, according to animal services' policies.
At the kennel Wednesday, Ryan pointed to a brown pit bull that furiously wagged its tail to get attention. Long, ugly cuts crisscrossed its face.
"Look at that guy," Ryan said. "He just wants to get inside your heart. He doesn't deserve this."
