Police rescued 367 pitbulls being held captive in Alabama and Georgia and forced to participate in an anarchic dog fighting ring.
The dog fighting ring bust represents the largest pitbull dog rescue in since the "Missouri 500" operation in 2009.
Police busted open the large scale ring, making 12 arrests and seizing half a million dollars in cash.
However, the ringleaders of the barbaric, bloody exhibition have said they intend to plead not guilty to the mountain of charges related to operating an illegal gambling ring.
"I believe if Dante were alive today and rewriting the 'Inferno' that the lowest places in hell would be reserved for those who commit cruelty to our animals and to our children," U.S. Attorney George Beck said at a news conference.
USA today reported that: " Coffee County Sheriff David Sutton said the dogs at one Elba home were covered by fleas and were secured by heavy chains connected to car axles buried in the ground. Officials said some pit bulls were so malnourished their ribs were sticking out and others had bad wounds that required emergency care.
"Those animals can't speak like you and I," Sutton said. "They bark and they whine. We chose to speak for them, and I believe we sent a message out. .... If you do the crime, we are going to come see you."
Officials with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States said the organizations are caring for the animals at undisclosed locations, and the animals will have to be kept as evidence while the case progresses. Eventually, they hope to retrain the dogs and get them new homes.
"They are finally getting a loving hand from responders who care for these dogs, but sadly there are many other dogs out there going through this type of abuse," ASPCA vice president Tim Rickey said.
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