Bernalillo deputies bust dog fight

Posted at: 09/03/2009 10:06 PM | Updated at: 09/04/2009 9:31 AM
By: Cris Ornelas, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

The two dogs were badly injured.

Veteran officers said the gory scene made their stomachs turn.

Deputies say nearly a dozen calls flooded 911 at about 6 p.m., Thursday, and when they got to the home near Arenal and Isleta, they found a house full of people watching two dogs fight.

Deputies say the spectators tried scattering in all directions to get away, but they managed to detain everyone.

The sheriff says it didn't appear to be a very sophisticated operation, and it's not clear if people were watching for entertainment or if they were gambling.

Deputies say there were only two dogs at the home, but both were badly injured and may have to be put down.

They say one of the suspects tried to hide when deputies raided the fight.

Sheriff Darren White said Thursday, "One of the suspects actually used the dog as a shield; he was hiding in the closet, and had the dog sitting on top of them, with clothes surrounding them, because he's such a coward."

The Sheriff says the inside of the house looks like a crime scene with blood splattered on the walls.

He says the Michael Vick case has made more people aware of dog fighting, and he thinks that's why so many people called 911.

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