THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 22, 1996 TAG: 9610220295
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 40 lines
A call to animal-control officers about one dog being savagely attacked by another led to the confiscation of 26 pit bulls from a Norfolk home Monday afternoon.
The dogs were being trained for attack and were brought in with severe injuries, police said.
Lt. Philip McKeon of the animal control unit said the call from a neighbor came in Sunday after one of the animals broke free from its chains and attacked another. The victim of that attack was taken to a veterinarian and died Sunday, police said.
Officers obtained a search warrant Monday for a home in the 3600 block of Riverside Drive, in the city's Ingleside section. The owner of the pit bulls was identified by police only as Travis Baker. He was charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals and with not providing proper care for the dogs, police said.
All except one of the dogs were taken into custody without resisting animal control officers, McKeon said.
According to police reports, several were maimed, had bite marks on their heads, were suffering from discharges in the eyes, lacked food and water - and the puppies were ``full of worms,'' McKeon said.
The dogs' conditions and the fact that most of them were trying to attack each other indicated they were being trained for attack, McKeon said.
Baker was able to retain four dogs, his legal limit. The others will likely be euthanized, police said. Vicious animals are not normally put up for adoption, McKeon said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by John C. Bell
Norfolk animal control officer J.L. Gifford looks over the living
quarters of 26 pit bulls at a house in the 3600 block of Riverside
Drive. Officials were called by a neighbor after one dog got loose
and attacked another. by CNB