Police Rescue Fighting Dogs on the Northwest Side

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 25, 2008 7:30PM

Police confiscated 10 dogs after a raid on a convicted felon's house yesterday. Police executed a search warrant on the home after police chased a suspect into 5259 W. Altgeld St., where they spotted several dogs that appeared not to be neutered. Possession of dogs that have not been fixed by a convicted felon is a crime in Illinois. "Officers in the district are familiar with [that home]," Grand Central District Tactical Lt. John Garrido said. "In the past five years, 20 people that have been arrested have used that address as their address of residence."

Five adult pit bulls and five puppies were rescued, and police also found evidence of dog fighting, including chains with heavy locks and chewed-up rubber tires. "We also recovered chains. And like I said before, the chains are indicative of animal fighting. They put them around them necks to callous their necks and to strengthen their necks," Garrido said. Police also found a round path of dirt ringed with bricks, which they believe are the remnants of a fighting pit in the backyard. According to police, the dogs exhibited behavior typical of fighting dogs. "Dogs that are used for fighting are generally very timid around people but very animal aggressive and that was the case here," said Garrido, who noted that one of the dogs urinated on the floor as police approached.

Studies indicate that dogfighting is part of a larger cycle of drugs, gangs and violence. "I've studied this over a four-year period," Sgt. Brian Degenhardt told NBC5. "People who are involved with animal crimes are also involved with gangs, guns, drugs, armed violence. Seventy percent of them -- nearly three-quarters of them -- have been arrested for those type of offenses."

Photo by Pantagrapher