WRIC Richmond News and Weather - Dogs Seized In Dog Fighting Investigation Euthanized
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8News has learned that 12 of the 19 surviving dogs seized in a Henrico dog fighting investigation have been euthanized.
Officials say the dogs were too vicious to be adopted.
"I know a lot of people are going to be upset that we had to euthanize 12 dogs."
Lt. Doug Perry says it's an unfortunate reality of the dog fighting world. Even when the dogs are rescued, they are often euthanized because they are too dangerous for adoption.
Perry says that was the case with the 19 dogs who survived after being seized from the home of former Richmond Sheriff's deputy Dave Robinson, who is charged with animal cruelty and dog fighting.
He says experts from the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force, and local group Ring Dog Rescue came in to evaluate the surviving dogs, to see if any could be rehabilitated and adopted.
But the experts determined 12 dogs were beyond help.
"They were just not adoptable, these dogs were extremely aggressive, very dangerous dogs, we did not want to do that, but we had to do that, and it was in the best interest of the animal, just to put them down," explained Perry.
But Perry says there is some good news in the case. He says the seven dogs that passed their evaluations are being put in foster homes to begin rehabilitation, instead of being kept at the shelter.
He says two will be in homes by the end of the week. And pit bull rescue, Misunderstood, will find fosters for the five remaining dogs.
Copyright 2009 by Young Broadcasting, Inc.
