CHS_CG
12-09-2008, 11:24 PM
Pit Bull Stolen for Dogfighting Returns Home Battered and
Bruised, but Not Broken Save Email Print
Posted: 6:16 PM Dec 8, 2008
Last Updated: 8:15 PM Dec 8, 2008
Reporter: Kristen Ross
Email Address: ross@kbtx
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/35770354.html
Dogs bloodied, bruised, and battered and people cheering it on.
According to a new report in the New York Times, dogfighting is on the rise in Texas.
Just last month, we told you about nearly a dozen people charged in connection with a dogfighting ring in Houston.
Monday, News 3 spoke with a Bryan woman who found out the hard way that dogfighting is also going on right here at home.
"You put a dog in your own yard, you put them where you think they're safe and they're not safe," Leeann Archer said.
It's been about a year since Leeann Archer went out to her backyard to find her fence kicked in and her dog missing off his chain.
"They took him out of my backyard, right out of nowhere," Archer said.
Archer searched for her Pit Bull, Chocolate, for several months, putting up posters with pictures, and even making several routine trips to the animal shelter. However, she never heard anything about his whereabouts, until last week.
"They told me he was picked up in Calvert and that he had been used in dogfighting. They were worried he might not have a good reaction to humans because of it," Archer said.
"He just looked like he had a few rough months," Ashley Wesp said.
Ashley Wesp with the Brazos Animal Shelter says the reunion was only possible because the dog led them straight to his owner.
"He was actually micro-chipped," Wesp said. "We actually plugged those numbers into the system, and pulled up an owner."
"That's what really saved his life," Archer said.
So after a year, Chocolate is now back home with Leeann, and her daughter Cody.
He's battered and bruised, but not broken.
"People took him and they fought him, and they tried their best to make him the stigma of Pit Bulls," Archer said. "They tried to make him vicious. Chocolate is not vicious at all, he's still a family dog."
A family dog Leeann could have never imagined to be involved in dogfighting. Although she had heard about it happening elsewhere across the state she never thought her own dog would be taken and subjected to it.
"To find out it's going on here and happened to one of your animals is just absolutely absurd," Archer said.
As a result of his injuries, Leeann Archer's dog, Chocolate, is extremely anemic right now, and has also developed Heart-worm.
But he is still so weak, that the veterinarian is actually waiting for him to regain some his strength before they even begin those treatments.
But the owner says seeing what her dog has been through has inspired her to do two things: One, get the word out about dogfighting, and second, let others know he would have never made it home had he not been micro-chipped.
Engaging in dogfighting in Texas is a felony. Watching a dogfight and having a dog that fights in your possession are both misdemeanors.
This is one of my friends from work....before you go judging away... no she is not a bad mother, the dog was under constant watch for days before he was allowed to be released back to her and her family. She is so happy to have her dog home.... as soon as he came home he knew where he was, went looking for his toys and even got Leeann's coat and curled up with it and went to sleep!
Bruised, but Not Broken Save Email Print
Posted: 6:16 PM Dec 8, 2008
Last Updated: 8:15 PM Dec 8, 2008
Reporter: Kristen Ross
Email Address: ross@kbtx
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/35770354.html
Dogs bloodied, bruised, and battered and people cheering it on.
According to a new report in the New York Times, dogfighting is on the rise in Texas.
Just last month, we told you about nearly a dozen people charged in connection with a dogfighting ring in Houston.
Monday, News 3 spoke with a Bryan woman who found out the hard way that dogfighting is also going on right here at home.
"You put a dog in your own yard, you put them where you think they're safe and they're not safe," Leeann Archer said.
It's been about a year since Leeann Archer went out to her backyard to find her fence kicked in and her dog missing off his chain.
"They took him out of my backyard, right out of nowhere," Archer said.
Archer searched for her Pit Bull, Chocolate, for several months, putting up posters with pictures, and even making several routine trips to the animal shelter. However, she never heard anything about his whereabouts, until last week.
"They told me he was picked up in Calvert and that he had been used in dogfighting. They were worried he might not have a good reaction to humans because of it," Archer said.
"He just looked like he had a few rough months," Ashley Wesp said.
Ashley Wesp with the Brazos Animal Shelter says the reunion was only possible because the dog led them straight to his owner.
"He was actually micro-chipped," Wesp said. "We actually plugged those numbers into the system, and pulled up an owner."
"That's what really saved his life," Archer said.
So after a year, Chocolate is now back home with Leeann, and her daughter Cody.
He's battered and bruised, but not broken.
"People took him and they fought him, and they tried their best to make him the stigma of Pit Bulls," Archer said. "They tried to make him vicious. Chocolate is not vicious at all, he's still a family dog."
A family dog Leeann could have never imagined to be involved in dogfighting. Although she had heard about it happening elsewhere across the state she never thought her own dog would be taken and subjected to it.
"To find out it's going on here and happened to one of your animals is just absolutely absurd," Archer said.
As a result of his injuries, Leeann Archer's dog, Chocolate, is extremely anemic right now, and has also developed Heart-worm.
But he is still so weak, that the veterinarian is actually waiting for him to regain some his strength before they even begin those treatments.
But the owner says seeing what her dog has been through has inspired her to do two things: One, get the word out about dogfighting, and second, let others know he would have never made it home had he not been micro-chipped.
Engaging in dogfighting in Texas is a felony. Watching a dogfight and having a dog that fights in your possession are both misdemeanors.
This is one of my friends from work....before you go judging away... no she is not a bad mother, the dog was under constant watch for days before he was allowed to be released back to her and her family. She is so happy to have her dog home.... as soon as he came home he knew where he was, went looking for his toys and even got Leeann's coat and curled up with it and went to sleep!