23 dogs rescued from dogfighting operation during drug bust in Southwest Detroit, police say

39-year-old Detroit man arrested

DETROIT – Police saved 23 dogs from the backyard of a home as part of a dogfighting operation bust in Southwest Detroit.

The dogs are beaten and bruised, but they're alive, police said. They were saved from a home on Liddesdale Street near Gleason Street, which is in the area of Fort Street and West Outer Drive.

Police said the dogs are being held as living evidence in the case. They said the home on Liddesdale is picture-perfect from the front but ugly around back.

Detroit police were serving a narcotics search warrant and found the dogs during the bust, authorities said. They questioned why there were so many dogs in the tiny backyard.

Detroit police confirmed that the dogs were being used and groomed for illegal, underground, cruel and deadly dogfighting.

Just days ago, dogfighting equipment and dog remains were found in a vacant school on Detroit's west side.

A 39-year-old man living with his mother at the home on Liddesdale was arrested, and police said he's suspected of being a part of a larger dogfighting problem.

"I didn't go back there," his mother said. "I am afraid of pit bulls."

"Who is keeping the dogs here?" Local 4's Shawn Ley asked.

"My son was," she said.

"Where is he?" Shawn asked.

"He went to jail," she said.

Detroit police said the 23 dogs taken from the home are part of a larger dogfighting ring.

Drugs and guns were removed from a different location, officials said.

The person caring for the dogs said they're safe and in good shape.


About the Authors:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.