dog fights
2004-01-19 | 11:42 a.m.

This is awful:

COVINGTON, Georgia (AP) -- Police raided a rural house and found a blood-soaked dog fight arena where fans had gathered for a night of gambling with a winner-take-all pot of $50,000.

Officers arrested 123 people late Saturday on felony charges of cruelty to animals, dog fighting and commercial gambling.

Newton County sheriff's deputies found one dead dog lying at the side of a makeshift ring, and another dog so badly mauled that it was later euthanized. Blood covered the walls and soaked through an old carpet.

"It's hard to understand any crime, but to see animals used -- or I should say misused -- for someone's entertainment like this is just pitiful," Sheriff Joe Nichols said. "It just tears at your heart."

Deputies seized about a dozen guns, several kilograms of marijuana and cocaine and more than a quarter of a million dollars, Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Mitchell said. Deputies also found four trophies already engraved with the date of the fight.

"This wasn't a gathering of people who just happened to hear about it and showed up," Mitchell said. "It was well planned."

Thirteen pit bulls were placed with county animal control.

The owner of the house was charged Sunday with involvement in the event. Her name was not immediately released.

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