The heat index reached nearly 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Indiana last week, and yet most of the dogs our Animal Rescue Team found across two properties there did not even have access to water. This was just one sign of the apparent mistreatment these dogs endured, panting in filthy hutches and cages—sadly, there were clear indications of others.
Many of the dogs had significant scars on their bodies. In a sweltering garage, responders discovered one dog with a large old wound on his neck, which veterinarians determined was likely caused by a dog bite. Dogs were found on heavy chains outdoors with inadequate protection from the elements, including one with what appeared to be an improperly healed leg fracture. Another had significant facial scarring and was missing part of her upper lip and mouth, likely from a bite wound.
The Fort Wayne Police Department had requested our assistance with the dogs found on two properties, where authorities discovered treadmills and a stand typically used to restrain dogs during breeding. Our rescue team recognized that the dogs' conditions and the paraphernalia on-site were consistent with what is commonly seen at dogfighting operations.
Perhaps the most heart-wrenching part of these types of rescues is how affectionate the dogs—who have experienced such trauma—still are. Many of the dogs and puppies greeted our team enthusiastically with tail wags.
One dog was still chained as she wiggled with excitement and wagged her tail as she tried to get as close as possible to our team. As one of our responders approached her to get a better look at her apparently injured leg, and examine the blood on her ears, the dog gave kisses and then flopped onto her back, exposing her belly for petting. Upon examination of the wounds on her ears, veterinarians determined she and others were suffering from flystrike, a painful condition caused by fly bites.
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
In the garage, a young dog at the bottom of a stack of cages was lethargically lying on her side. She was quickly brought into our climate-controlled mobile vet unit for evaluation, and responders were relieved to see that she perked up once she was out of the heat.
Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals
Dogfighting, a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, causes extreme suffering and often results in severe, sometimes fatal, injuries. Typical dogfighting injuries include severe bruising, deep puncture wounds and broken bones, and the dogs often die of dehydration, infection, blood loss, exhaustion or shock hours or even days after the fight. The dogs used in organized dogfighting operations are specifically bred and conditioned for fighting, which is only the beginning of a cycle of abuse and mistreatment. We at Humane World for Animals have seen that wherever these spectacles of cruelty occur, they have often been associated with other crimes, such as those related to weapons, violence, gambling and illegal drugs.
The dogs and puppies we rescued in Fort Wayne last week are settling in and receiving care and treatment at a safe location now. Even after languishing in a heat wave and the dogfighting-related trauma these dogs appear to have endured, some of them were already starting to show their personalities the very next day.
This rescue operation is part of an ongoing investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department, and we commend the officers for their dedication in pursuing this case and intervening on behalf of the dogs. Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control also assisted on-scene, as did the Indiana Gaming Commission. This rescue operation exemplified the best elements of a multi-agency collaboration, showing the difference that we can make for animals in even the most dire situations when we work together.
