DETROIT -- A major dogfighting operation was raided on Monday in Detroit.

Fifty-three people were arrested in connection with the raid, police said.

On Thursday, most of the suspects were released.

A spokesman for the Wayne County Sheriff's Department said because they had so many suspects to prepare warrants for, they could not get them all done in the 48-hour time limit.

They plan to obtain not-in-custody warrants by the end of the day.

Warrants for 12 of the suspects, including six suspected ringleaders, were issued. They are expected in court in the next two weeks.

On Monday, when deputies arrived at a garage on the city's east side, they noticed two pit bulls fighting. One dog ran off, the other was taken to the Michigan Humane Society.

That dog will be euthanized. "We don't place them when they come from dogfighting locations because of the safety concerns," said Deborah MacDonald of the Michigan Humane Society.