Linda Broadley, a member of the Black Hat Humane Society of Tse Bonito, N.M., is working on getting an 800 telephone number for peop to report organized dogfighting and missing pets. (Photo special to the Times - Donovan Quintero)

By Marley Shebala
The Navajo Times

CHINLE - When Linda Broadley got her dog Sheperd, his ears were cut completely off, he had mange and scars all over his body and his ribs were clearly visible.

And when he looked at Broadley with his "soulful" eyes, she heard him asking her to rescue him, said Broadley on Friday.

She remembered other details about Sheperd, a five-year-old Pit Bull, but she couldn't remember if was late December or early January when he was dropped off at her door.

That didn't seem to matter because Broadley, as a member of the Black Hat Animal Humane Society of Tse Bonito, N.M. for the past seven years, has been a "foster home" for animals, primarily dogs.

She said the group has found homes for dogs and puppies in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tennessee and New Jersey.

But now Sheperd is missing. Broadley said the last time she saw Sheperd was just a couple of Saturdays ago.

And she fears the worst - that her dog may have been kidnapped to be used in a rumored dog-fighting ring.

She said she had to leave her front gate unlocked, which she never did, because maintenance staff needed to check something around her apartment.

When Broadley returned, the gate was open and Sheperd and Cassandra, another of her dogs, were missing.

Her son found Cassandra but he was a few seconds late. As he watched, a pickup truck ran over and killed her.

Broadley remembered Cassandra, a nine-year-old mixed Cocker Spaniel and Chow, as the "perfect dog," a name she often called her.

Cassandra never messed in the house, was never noisy, never chewed up furniture, never jumped on people or bothered them when they were eating and was always cuddly, she said.

Broadley sighed and said the people in the pickup truck didn't even stop.
She held a flier that had a photograph of Sheperd's face and detailed information about him.

Broadley, a registered nurse at the Chinle Junior High School, and her son want Sheperd returned.

She sighed again and said she fears the worst for Sheperd, especially after learning from other owners of pit bull and rottweiler dogs about organized dog fighting.

Broadley said she was told that since Sheperd is not vicious that he probably would be used as "bait" to train other dogs.

"He's (Sheperd) had a hard life and he deserves to live the rest of his days in peace, in a loving home," she said.

Broadley said she talked with the local Navajo government veterinary office, ranger station, law enforcement and Apache County Sheriff's Office and they told her that they've only heard about dog fighting in the area.

Tribal veterinarian Dr. Scott Bender said on Tuesday that he's heard about at least three organized dog fighting rings in Chinle Agency, one in the Navajo Partitioned Land area and others in the Shiprock and Fort Defiance agencies.

Bender said he's also heard that the dog fighting is associated with gangs and where there are gangs there are drugs and other illegal activities.

He added that he had to be careful about saying where he got his information because as a veterinarian, his interest is in taking care of animals - especially dogs that are brought to his office with the obvious wounds of a dog fight.

Bender noted that dogfights are generally battles to the death. "I've had animals come here damaged because of these fights and I cannot save them," he said.

He said dogfights are rated according to how "bloodier and gorier" they are.

Any killing of animals that is not personal consumption is not right, said Bender.

But he said that's not going to stop him from treating an animal that was in a dogfight because it's not the animal's fault.

Bender said that based on the "third hand" information he's received and the cases he's treating, dog fighting is getting worse.

Teachers are also talking about seeing more of their students involved in gangs and hearing about gang initiations, he said.

The Navajo government needs to do something about dog fighting before it gets completely out of control, warned Bender.

Chinle Agency Ranger Roger Singer said he met people on the road looking for their missing dogs and they've mentioned to him reports of dog fighting in the Blue Gap and Pinon, Ariz., area.

Singer added, "I've noticed pit bulls are missing left and right."

He said he checked out some of the areas of reported dog fighting and found nothing.

Singer said that if there's dog fighting, it's pretty hidden which means someone has to come forward and tell him that he or she was at a dog fight.

But he said people are probably too scared to say anything.

Frank Corvino, Arizona Humane Society field operations manager, said in a telephone interview from Phoenix on Tuesday that his office has helped law enforcement arrest individuals conducting organized dog fighting.

Corvino said the individuals are gang members who are then found to be involved in more serious crimes. This means the dog fighting charge is dropped and they are convicted of the other criminal activity.

He noted that it's really difficult to convict someone of dog fighting because the AHS will get a call as it's happening.

Corvino said that by the time they reach the area, the dog fight is over and the crowd has dispersed but the evidence is there - dead or injured animals with multiple bite wounds.

He said that in Arizona, the penalty for someone convicted of dog fighting, which is a class five felony, is one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Shiprock District prosecutor Daryl Junes Joe said on Tuesday that the tribal code has no provisions for dog fighting.

Joe said the tribal code prohibits cruelty to animals, which is located at Chapter 17, Section 460.

According to the Humane Society of the United States' Web site, dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states.

The society also reported that federal law prohibits the transportation of dogs across state lines for fighting purposes.

The society also stated that a dozen states are considering stronger laws against animal fighting because of the difficulties associated with enforcing current laws.

Broadley said she is working to establish an 800 number for people to call to report missing pets and to hopefully report dog fighting anonymously or on the record.

She said she wants to offer a reward for any tip that is used for a conviction of dog fighting.

http://www.thenavajotimes.com/20041...g_fighting.html