http://www.wsbtv.com/news/20534576/detail.html
29 Dogs Seized From Suspected Dog Fighting Operation Need Homes
Posted: 3:28 pm EDT August 24, 2009Updated: 3:41 pm EDT August 24, 2009
SUWANEE, Ga. -- Twenty-nine dogs that were seized in a raid involving suspected dog fighting and drug trafficking have formally been turned over to the Georgia SPCA.
Officials said the dogs' owner Antonio Monds, 32, had been under surveillance for six months for suspected dog fighting operation, gambling and drugs. Law enforcement, NORRED investigators and GA SPCA emergency response team seized the dogs from the Talbot County property on Wednesday and moved them to an undisclosed location in a nearby county.
Dogs Seized In Talbot County
Monds surrendered ownership of the dogs to the Talbot County Sheriff’s Department on Thursday. The Talbot County Sheriff’s Department is not equipped to care for animals that are seized so they have now turned over custody of the dogs to the Georgia SPCA. Georgia SPCA director, Joan Sammond said that the dogs are currently undergoing a more thorough evaluation for health and temperament and will be ready to go into rescue as early as next week. At that time the dogs will be fostered with rescue and adopted out as each agency sees fit.
"We will be taking several of the dogs into our Suwanee adoption facility. The rest of the dogs we need to find eligible rescue and humane organizations to take because our facility does not have the space for this many dogs. We have been contacted by Mariah’s Promise, a Pit bull rescue in Colorado but they are not sure how many of the dogs they would be able to help out with," Sammond said.
Sammond also added that this is a time sensitive project because the dogs cannot stay where they are for a long period of time due to expenses which they are having to take on so if all of the dogs are not placed into other rescues within the next 7 – 10 days the remainder will unfortunately have to be euthanized.
The Georgia SPCA is asking for donations to help with this rescue effort. Donations can be made online on their website which is www.georgiaspca.org or made in person or by phone. Rescue groups can contact Georgia SPCA at (678) 765-2726 if they are interested in taking any of these dogs.