July 2009

On July 8, 2009 the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and United Animal Nations (UAN) assisted in an operation to rescue hundreds of dogs from multiple organized dog fighting operations throughout the Midwest. Following a lengthy investigation spurred by evidence collected by The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), officers from multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies made arrests and seized dogs in Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Illinois, Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. It was the largest simultaneous dogfighting raid and rescue in United States history.

For more than a month The HSUS had been doing logistical preparation for the raids, transporting equipment and specialized emergency shelter kenneling for hundreds of dogs to Missouri. Dozens of HSUS experts and volunteers gathered to provide animal handling, transport, sheltering and documentation assistance.

Dozens more volunteers were deployed through UAN’s Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS). Thirty-seven dedicated EARS volunteers - who had been specially trained to handle large dogs in stressful situations - traveled from as far away as Virginia and Pennsylvania to provide care for the 407 rescued dogs.

The ASPCA lent the services of its special forensic cruelty investigation team - including disaster animal rescuers, field service investigators and Dr. Melinda Merck, the nation’s premier forensic veterinarian - to collect evidence for the prosecution of the criminal case. The ASPCA’s Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation Unit, outfitted with medical equipment tailored specifically for animal patients, was also on hand.

This rescue operation is a great example of how national and local animal welfare organizations can work together to combat the barbaric animal fighting industry.