63 Kittens - Possibly Used as Dog Fighting Bait- Found

What is wrong with people? The director of the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter found three boxes full of kittens (63 of them!!!) on her doorstep. Paula Young believes that the kittens were used as bait during dogfighting in Westchester and possibly the Bronx. She told the Journal News, "It is impossible for one person to have all these kittens, calicos, tabbies, males and females."

A few days earlier, animal shelter workers found an older pit bull with its hind legs paralyzed and a number of puncture marks. Sean D'Aliose, manager at the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter, explained, "Kittens are dangled in front of the dogs, usually before a fight, to give them a taste of blood." Young thinks that the dog and kittens were abandoned because people were scared of authorities cracking down, in the wake of Michael Vick's indictment on dog fighting charges.

The AP spoke to a few animals rights/advocacy organizations about dog fighting. According to PETA, there are three levels of dog fightings: "Professional" entrepreneurs, amateurs, and street-corner participants. And NYC Animal Care and Control field officer Mike Pastore said organized dog fighting and arrests are rare in the city, "Even in the shelter do we rarely have a dog come through with the pockmarks and other signs of a fighting dog." (See this fact sheet about dog fighting from the Humane Society.) Representative Gary Ackerman has proposed legislation to toughen dog fighting penalties.

Here's video (WNBC, Journal News) and more photos of the kittens. Those interested in adopting the kittens can call Paula Young at 914-522-5945 or Jeannie Johnson at 914-699-PETS.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on August 10, 2007 3:10 PM

Comments [rss]

citychik

PETA sucks -- I wish news agencies would just ask Friends of Animals or the Humane Society for expert opinions. PETA uses sensationalistic tactics to promote its own organization and get donors. Meanwhile they support fake "rescue" shelters that kill animals. Look up what they did to the primate sanctuary in Texas, Primarily Primates - a total mess. PETA is full of shit.

They're even worse than the North Shore Animal League, btw, which uses breeders. People, do some research!

guest

You people that keep associating this shit with minoroites are just as bad as the pieces of shit who commmit acts like these. To quote Travis Bickle "Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets."

guest

Lions and tigers and bears should be starved for two weeks then let loose in the subway to gorge themselves.

Spirit of 76

There should be more dog fighting. With one difference. The dogs should be let loose among the audience.

guest

I'm sure that all THESE kittens will all be adopted, and I am glad of that. Tons of people always come forward to adopt the animals in the sad, sad news stories, and I'm glad of that too.

But next week another 63 kittens will be put to sleep because if no poor little things are in the news, no one's thinking of going down to the shelter to adopt.

Please don't patronize pet stores. Please spay and neuter.

guest

I hope all the kittens get adopted into loving homes. they're all OK is what counts.

guest

Oh my! If I don't have two already, I might adopt one of these kittens. :(

MarygraceNYC

Heartless and cruel. For the dogs, for the kittens. All for the benefit of some losers to get off on watching them fight to the death. They should all be tortured in public for this disgraceful behavior. Made to fight each other to the death. Bastards all of them. I hate hearing about this stuff.

guest

#12

Man are you that blind?

You actually think Race and Culture is the Same thing?

Race is an imaginary concept created to keep people down

IT DOES NOT EXIST

Did You Not Listen To What Dr. King Said?

Culture does exist, however what does illegal dog fighting have to do with modern African-American culture?

anyway I live in Westchester and have been looking to add another cute kitty to befriend my Thom

going down there on saturday

Rocknrope

Why do you say that #16? Seriously, I'm curious.

guest

Oh please don't ever use PETA as a news source ever again. They are one of the most hypocritical, misguided organizations out there.

Rocknrope

Good Lord - I've heard about this - cat juggling! Stop! Stop! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

JMH

[8] wrote:
yeah #3 because before a boxing or ufc match the fighters will eat a baby...
Well, there's always Mike Tyson.

guest

100$ says the perps are named Gonzales.

guest

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH!!!!

RESPECT MICHAEL VICK'S CULTURE!!!

guest

Actually, I think the dying pitbull was used as bait for kitten fights. If you don't already know, kitten fighting is the next big thing for pre-teen girls, now that Brittney Spears has shaved her head.

guest

Comparing combat sports to dogfighting is ludicrous on every level.

JRod5417

Mean people suck. I like the animal feed suggestion in #1.

guest

yeah #3 because before a boxing or ufc match the fighters will eat a baby and then after the fight, if the looser isn't dead already, they're sometimes tortured and killed. flawless comparison.

guest

what is wrong with dog fighting is that the dogs are not choosing to fight each other. They are animals who are at the mercy of their owners. And.... they fight to the death. It is not humane.

S.D.

Hope they all get happy homes.

Reality Czech

There are so many lowlifes throughout America it's no wonder this country is going down the toilet.

Politburo

Wait a second.. what exactly supports the assertion that this has anything to do with dogfighting? Because they happened to rescue a pitbull the other day? Gonna have to do better than that. Methinks someone is using a recent issue to get some free press.

There's a video on CNN now of a lady with 103 cats. Is she a dogfighter, too?

guest

c'mon .... what IS so wrong with dog fighting anyway? We watch boxing and UFC, nobody complains about that. People should mind their business and stop snitching.

guest

Wow, some thugs are so tough, making their dogs fight each other.

guest

Round up anyone involved in dogfighting. Use civil forfeiture to take their property to be auctioned off for the benefit of animal shelters and grind the perpetrators into animal feed.