Twenty-nine dogs ranging in age from elderly to puppies were found chained, in kennels, in eastern Lake County on July 23, according to the sheriff’s office.
While investigating potential dog fighting, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Marine Unit detectives discovered the dogs at a location in the 31000 block of Third Avenue in DeLand.
LCSO’s SWAT team and investigators executed a search warrant at the home. Once the scene was secured, investigators conducted a search that revealed that most of the dogs had scars typically found after dog fighting and were in various stages of healing, the sheriff’s office said.
Jason Bigger, 48, was arrested on 29 counts of animal cruelty and 29 counts of baiting and fighting of animals.
The 29 dogs are being held at the Lake County Animal Shelter.
If anyone has information about this case, call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.
This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Injured, neglected dogs discovered at suspected dog-fight bust in eastern Lake County
Reporting by Julie Garisto, Leesburg Daily Commercial / Daily Commercial
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