A pit bull mix that may have been used for training fighting dogs was seized Friday near Whiteville.
The male dog was found tied to a tree in the yard of a home on E.A. Barnes Road without shelter, during last week’s subfreezing temperatures, the sheriff’s office reported. A contractor saw the dog and alerted authorities, said Samantha Baxley of Animal Protective Services (APS). APS Officer C. Bryan took the dog to the animal shelter.
He had multiple lacerations and puncture wounds, was missing part of his tail, and significantly underweight, according to the sheriff’s report.
The property owner, Brenda Tyler, told Deputy A. Dehne she did not know anything about the animal, and had been living in Durham while her home was being repaired, the report said. She agreed to surrender him to Animal Protective Services, and refused to provide additional information about the animal.
APS staff have named him Harlem.
Baxley said Harlem was immediately taken to a veterinarian. While the dog is still limping and on antibiotics, Baxley said he is improving with a steady diet and care.
His wounds and treatment were consistent with dogs used as “bait dogs,” Baxley said. Bait dogs are used to teach fighting dogs to be more aggressive. They are often starved to make them easier for the trainee dogs to injure or kill.
Harlem will be held until investigators have completed their case, she said. After he has been released by the courts, she said, Harlem will likely not be immediately available for adoption. Harlem likely will need more time to heal before he can be adopted by a family.
“He’s a sweet boy,” Baxley said. “He really is a nice dog. I hope we can get him into a rescue and out of the shelter. After everything he has gone through, that would be a better environment for him.
“Right now he is going to get everything we can do for him. We’re going to take care of him.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the sheriff’s office investigative division at 910.642.6551 or APS at 910.641.3945. You may also file an anonymous tip through the sheriff’s office app.
