Alleged dogfighting ring uncovered

Yesterday Gates County Sheriff Edward Webb seized 13 dogs under court order. He took possession of 11 pit bulls and 2 rottweilers.

[alan]

well first of all sheriff web didnt do anything with the raid it was our animal control officer lacey wilkins . i really wish channel 10 would stop allowing this sheriff to use channel 10 news for his grand standing for the public . officer wilkins along with many residents recently after a year of work got animal control ordiances passed which allowed her to go after these dogs up until a few weeks ago there were no laws to adress this type of abuse and went on all over gates county , if you think these dogs are bad , why not do a story on the way hunting dogs are kept or the blood sport know as fox pens , there is one right up the road from this house that the sheriff know about and allows to go on . officer wilkins is our only animal control officer in gates county and is also a fulltime deputy and has to cover both jobs with the animals suffering most of the time as a result . if you want the true story look beyond what web shows you and talk to the real people of gates county and get the whole story , not the polish grand standing of one county offical trying to look good , and yes i live in gates county and this raid was right up the street from me and has been going on for along time , also dog fighting is a federal offense and the usda has the right to investigate , like they did in the vick case so where are they ? nice to see the coverage , but why not tell the whole story ?

[Mike]

Our animal control officer Deputy Wilkins as usual was given NO CREDIT for this bust.She investigated it, researched it has been trying for a long time to catch this criminal.Then Sheriff Webb calls all the news stations reporting that HE busted them. Not true.Nothing like patting yourself on the back. Why not give credit to the one that deserves it. He never mentioned this deputy once. She worked on and pushed through the animal control ordinances which made this bust possible. If we had waited for Webb to do anything, it would still be going on. He just looks the other way.Why doesn't your station do the real story. Give the credit to the REAL HERO of this story. Deputy Lacey Wilkins.The citizens of Gates County appreciate what she did. Keep up the good work.

[MICHAEL VICK FRANCHISE]

You probably should check to see if Vick is running this operation from his prison cell in Levenworth, maybe you can extend his prison sentence for him and keep him where he belongs. IN PRISON !

[my opinion]

I can honestly believe what Mike and Alan are suggesting on their notes. I have lived in the county for several years and have reported things to sheriff webb with no responses either. I can honestly feel for our animal control unit in the area. I don't think vick has anything to do with this area but it's just more noticeable since his story was aired. The animals are the true victims in this case however lets take the spot light off of sheriff webb and place it on the other people that are involved in getting the correct information for him to actually and for once do his job. If you want another story other than the dog fighting look at what webb has or has not done for Gates. That should be bigger than any story you get.

[Mike]

Hey "my opinion" you said a mouth full on that one.Yep you can tell the citizens of Gates County they all know what a worthless sheriff he is. He should have stepped out of the limelight and Lacey Wilkins should have been interviewed and told the story. After all she was the one who made this possible. We thank her for that. She is right..on channel 13 news -at least they DID INTERVIEW the real hero..she said if they were Vick dogs people would be lined up to adopt them, but because they are not, they will most likely be euthanized. Its very sad. Channel 10 you really need to get out of Webbs back pocket and interview the REAL HERO OF THIS STORY and thats Deputy Lacey Wilkins.

[N Sider]

It's political. It has much larger ramifications than the Vick case. I like how they avoid mentioning that this sick individual Jackie "Jaguar" Parker is a high-ranking federal employee at a local federal agency. They knew....for decades. They are all sick!

[Julia]

Why are you concentrating on who did what? Why don't you think about the dogs? They are the once who need help. You people are ridiculous. Instead of trying to figure out ways to help those poor dogs, you are trying to figure out who did what. Unbelievable. And at the end of the day because of all blah blah blah, the dogs will be the once to pay the price and will be killed just like the once that were killed this week. Stop and think what you are doing.

[beau]

I'm not a pet or dog lover, but when i found out what they do to dogs for fighting i was appalled.Hope they go to prison.

[PatD]

N Sider wrote:

It's political. It has much larger ramifications than the Vick case. I like how they avoid mentioning that this sick individual Jackie "Jaguar" Parker is a high-ranking federal employee at a local federal agency. They knew....for decades. They are all sick!

If this sick individual Jackie "Jaguar" Parker is a high-ranking federal employee, maybe the FBI needs to be on this. Also, maybe this should go up to the Obama level.

[Kathy Malaspina]

Yes the dogs are the ones who have been suffering and will most likely be euthanized. They are sweet dogs who are glad to see people and lick your face and hands when they are approached. they are only aggressive to other dogs. They could be adopted out to good homes to people who do not own other pets.This Jackie Parker has already been convicted before in another state. Slapped on the wrist. He picked up his operation and moved it to our county. We will see if he turns himself in this morning. I say Deputy Lacey Wilkins did a wonderful job investigating and finally locating this man after a long time trying to get him. He was tipped off in the past and would MOVE his operation before she would get there.If we had not just gotten the ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE passed less then 2 weeks ago, she still would have had her hands tied. I think Mr. Parker should be tied to a tree with a logging chain with no shelter, no ,medical attention and only fed peanut butter for the rest of his life. The punishment should fit the crime.Oh and thrown into a pit with these dogs eating him! Would make me sleep a whole lot better.
Don't let me leave out the best part...Now that these dogs and others like them have over crowded our shelter, there will be other dogs that will have to be euthanized because there is no room.Dogs that were adoptable and that our Shelter Manager would have found homes for with more time.Now her hands are tied. First to go will be dogs that were surrendered by their owners, because they could not take care of them any more. Usually from elderly people...etc. Next the strays that were picked up that are lost...of forgotten...they have to wait 7 days by law, then they will go next...the pits will be there for months awaiting this guys trial....THEN they will be put to death also, because they are not VICK dogs, no one will want them.So every animal at our shelters death sentence is moved up because of this sick persons criminal activity. Death is too goo for this man and all those like him. Do a story on this info Channel 10...go to that shelter and just see for yourself. Be on the side of the innocent animals!

[alan]

well folks dog fighting is a federal crime now and the usda has the ability to innvestigate and prosceute , they blah blah bla , that one poster refered too is because this man has knownly been doing this for years in another state and in nc , he seems to aviod arrest each time they try to arrest him so folks here in gates county are sick of it . the kindest thing for the dogs is to be euthanized , these types of dogs , along with the training and abuse they have suffered make them to high a risk for pet homes, would you like to have one living next to you , what you are not reading is what happened to the 4 goats , over 20 chickens and duck who also lived thier , can you say BAIT ANIMALS ,
the sherrif says these dogs were being feed deer meat ok , well deer season isnt yr round so they were poaching or picking up road kills both illegal , and the dogs were being feed peanut butter , all the supplies had to come from a local feed store , so it is alot more to it than just dogs and politics , just as many of us here in gates county know of the curroptiion in our local govermnet and are trying daily to clean it up , but when news stations like 10 allow folks to grand stand for the cameras then it just makes it worse .

[Nicole Bruck]

I sincerely hope that the people in Gates County will not make the same barbaric mistakes that the officials in Wilkes County did. These dogs must NOT be euthanized. They are victims of the most horrific form of abuse and torture. It is the humans who are the criminals and needed to be punished to the full extent of the law. These dogs must be handed over to groups like Best Friends Animals Society, BAD RAP (Bay Area Do glovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), Animal Farm Foundation, Villalobos Rescue Center, and Downtown Dog Rescue, which all have loads of experiences helping, rehabilitating if needed, and finding loving forever homes for the dogs. The uneducated and small-minded people in Wilkes County slaughtered 150 dogs this week, many of them puppies, despite the fact that all of the above groups wanted to rescue the dogs. They did this on the advice of HSUS (Humane Society of the US) which is "humane" in name only. HSUS campaigned to have all the Michael Vick pit bulls murdered and still insists, to this very day, that those dogs should be killed. Of course the whole world knows about the success of the Michael Vick pit bulls.
Something urgently needs to be done about the HSUS. They are responsible for the slaughter of helpless dogs. What kind of organization claims to fight for animal rights, but campaigns to have all fighting dogs euthanized? This is HSUS commenting on the Michael Vick pit bulls in a New York Times article from July 2007:“

"Officials from our organization have examined some of these dogs and, generally speaking, they are some of the most aggressively trained pit bulls in the country,” Wayne Pacelle, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, said in a telephone interview Tuesday.“Hundreds of thousands of less-violent pit bulls, who are better candidates to be rehabilitated, are being put down. The fate of these dogs will be up to the government, but we have recommended to them, and believe, they will be eventually put down.” Pacelle said the Humane Society normally advocated that fighting dogs be put down shortly after being seized.“"It is lose-lose for the dogs," ” he said.“"They either die a gruesome death as a dogfighter in action, or they will be killed because they are not adoptable.”

Well, we all know the success of the Vick dogs, but as HSUS failed to kill the Vick dogs; they had to make sure they did it in Wilkes County. HSUS’ lust for blood is so great it has to murder these dogs even when Best Friends Animals Society, BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), Animal Farm Foundation, Villalobos Rescue Center, and Downtown Dog Rescue all offered to rescue these dogs, have them individually assessed, have them neutered/spayed and keep them at these experienced rescues before find them loving, forever homes. But HSUS’s treachery goes even further. Beginning on the day of NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s 2007 dog fighting indictment, HSUS raised money online with the false promise that it would “”care for the dogs seized in the Michael Vick case.”” The New York Times later reported that HSUS wasn’t caring for Vick’s dogs at all. John Goodwin, HSUS's "animal fighting “expert"”, has no experience with dogs. He is an arsonist with a long arrest record, a former Animal Liberation Front member/spokesman with a history of promoting arson to accomplish animal liberation.

Please everyone in Gates County show that you are not as ignorant and backwards as Wilkes County. Make sure these dogs get the second chance they deserve.

[Becky]

The dogs are the victims here. Instead of assuming that all of them have to be killed contact one of the following agencies. They have experience in evaluating dogs from places like the one these dogs were seized from. They can also recommend placement and have the experience to work with them to retrain these dogs.

Best Friends Animals Society, BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls), Animal Farm Foundation, Villalobos Rescue Center, and Downtown Dog Rescue.

The reputation of these dogs is just that, a reputation, they are trained and mistreated in order to make them aggressive. With proper training and handling many can eventually be placed where they get the love and handling they need to be good canine citizens. They are not monsters who suddenly "turn". If a person is mistreated for their entire life they also can show violent tendencies. These dogs have been treated in a manner that shows them that only by being vicious can they gain food, affection, etc. That sort of behavior can be changed and has been changed in the dogs seized from the Vick kennels. These dogs deserve that chance. Instead of assuming that all of them must be killed evaluate them as individuals then decide. It's more than probable that some of them can become loving and well behaved dogs.

[jjuu]

treadmills are illegal? come on people! I know coon dog owners who use them on their dogs. Since when is exercising a dog illegal? Just because a dog has scars does not make it a fighting dog!

[Michelle]

This is so sad. Why must people be so cruel?
I hope the dogs are OK.

[jimdem]

For years I kept Pit Bulls for hog hunting. All of the items you reported in your story were at my place. I have never been to or have I ever seen a dogfight. Are you sure Parker is not a hog hunter? When you run hunting dogs through thickets they will be scared around the head and shoulders but do they like the chase of the hunt, you bet. jimdem

[Mike]

these dogs should be given a chance.can anyone beleive that this guy pleaded not guilty.yes there is a lot of criminal things going on in gates county that are allowed to continue. wake up everyone. nicole thanks for the info on the rescue groups.please contact them and make them aware of this situation. i will try to see what i can do on this end. dont think he meant the actual treadmill is against the law. but when you tie an animal to one for the time the fighters do not feeding them-they are running trying to eat the dead carcus hanging out in front yes that is ABUSE. these are not electric treadmills..they are homemade and the dog running is generating the power. have you ever walked on a tread mill that is not powered by a motor? it hard even for human.

[Mike]

question i live in gates yet beside my name it says dudley nc. whats up with that?i want people to know where i am from.

[tannersmom]

I'm disgusted by this whole story. What do people get out of dogfighting??? How cruel can people be? I'm also saddened by the fact that people are bad mounthing our sheriff. I did not vote him in but someone in this county sure did. We need, as a community, to research and become more familiar with people we are putting in office. We must vote for the best to serve not the most popular at the golf course. Why is he still in office? I live in Gates Co. and have lost 2 dogs from my yard in the last yr. I wonder if my dogs ended up as the carcus hanging on the treadmill. I did everything that I could to find my dogs but never turned up a clue. I hope that this guy is finally punished. He is an animal. Save the dogs, euthanize the idiot.

[Michelle]

"Mike", I am w/ ya, I live in Va Beach and mine says Hampton......
"Tannersmom", 100% agree, save the dogs and euthanize him.
"Julia" Why don't you contact someone since you seem to know so much. It matters what the "humans" are doing as that directly affects the dogs, bright eyes!!! Little less talk and alot more action!
"Nicole" Thanks for all the contact's, let's all get involved and contact these locations' until someone is willing to give these innocent dogs another chance at a GOOD life!
As far as the Sheriff, prolly an old guy w/ 1950's view's who didn't acknowledge Lacey cuz she is female and did the job he couldn't or wouldn't!!!
Way to go Lacey, let's vote her in and the old guy out!!!
Once again, praying for the dogs! God bless them, they are totally innocent.
Have a great day all! even you Julia!
Michelle