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Charges were announced Wednesday morning against a Chester County, Pa., couple accused of running a major dogfighting operation out of their home on Manor Road in West Brandywine.
Prosecutors say Shane Santiago and his wife were running the operation while their five children lived at the home. Officials say the couple raised pit bulls, trained them on treadmills and gave them steroid-type medicines to make them stronger. They then taught the dogs to kill other dogs, according to prosecutors.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said the couple had the stronger dogs practice on weaker dogs. Dogfighters from other states allegedly came to their home and watched the dogs fight, often to the death. While the winning dogs were taken home, the losing dogs either died in the ring or were killed by the owners, according to prosecutors.
Hogan said officials recovered jumper cables with hair on them in Santiago’s basement. Santiago allegedly used the cables to electrocute the dogs.
"The dogs lived by one rule," said Hogan. "Fight and win, or die. At least 10 dogs died by defendant Shane Santiago’s hands, and countless more were maimed in these dogfights."
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Hogan said authorities were alerted to the possibility of dogfighting in the western part of Chester County when they received reports of dead and mutilated pit bulls along roadsides over the last few months.
Officials originally targeted Santiago as part of a drug operation, which eventually led them to the dogfighting connection, according to investigators. Santiago and his wife were both charged with animal cruelty and child endangerment. They are in custody.
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While you'd have to unfortunately put the dogs down afterwards, let's allow the dogs to get some revenge. Put these two pieces of filth in a cage with 10+ pitbulls and let them sort it out.
Where are the surviving dogs now? The surviving dogs from the Michael Vick kennels were rescued after a long and ground breaking legal battle. Some have even become therapy dogs. Can we bring in the experts from Best Friends in Utah to save the surviving dogs? They need to be protected from people who run other dog fighting rings who will value these animals for their fighting records and continue the abuse.
Michael Vick should still be in jail. Now...I love that so many people feel the same as I do about this, but you'll just post a loud complaint here and forget about it. Get involved with a local rescue group and find out what it means to show love and respect to these animals.Tjem get off your lazy asses and get in touch with whatever politicians you know and get some laws effected to stop this.
OK......let me get this straight.....when Michael Vick did something similar, PETA and the rest of the world nearly had a first class STROKE about it....called for his head on a silver platter and had him locked up. Where oh where is the outcry now....and where oh where is PETA now.....probably somewhere drinking Starbucks 'cause I sure can't see 'em here. verrrrry interesting. I'm gonna keep my eyes and ears open but I'm almost positive these two, and their dastardly deed against animals will ebb away like all the rest......unless you look like MV.....read me?
Because he was a star quarterback in the NFL, that is why the press and PETA were all over it. His position and pay in the NFL makes him a figure that children try to emulate and be in every way. That is why they were all over the case, to make an example, not due to the racism you are implying.
this is actually worse than Vick.........bet they are on Meth
nobody is worse than Vick;)
No form of humane punishment is good enough for these low life scum. I suggest a bullet at the base of the skull for both of them, they are definitely sick puppies ( sorry canines) and need to be put down.
Perhaps enough public attention will elevate these sickos to the level of fame Michael Vick had, you are right on Lynda, and they will be prosecuted just as vigorously. Let us hope and pray.
The way in which a person treats an animal says a lot about their character overall. No compassion, no empathy, no respect.
I hope they are not allowed to have their children back. Hopefully, the damage done can be treated.
I hope that the laws will get stronger for these abuse cases I've seen some of these poor dogs and it is horrible. They need to be punished a long long time.
I wonder if those jumper cables are still in my car????? I think I know something I can do with them this afternoon.
There is no hell hot enough for the abusers of the helpless. Children or animals or the elderly, there is no excuse in the world that justify such horror. Long,long sentence for these hateful people.
These mutants need to be gassed. Zyklon-B will do just fine.
I agree with every comment !
Unbelievable. What in the world is wroing with these people. And others came to see it? People from Pennsylvania are just plain sick.
So people out there who say all pit bulls are vicious and need to be destroyed need to be aware, when a dog acts mean it has been abused horribly to make it mean. Pit bulls are self-socializing dogs, they are by nature friendly and companionable. It takes serious abuse, like what these sub-humans did to make a dog mean. That is why the rehabilitation of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick needs to be more public. Taking dogs from cruel fighting situations and putting them with loving compassionate people shows what these dogs are really about. Sadly, too many pits see this as their fate. It really is tragic. Given loving, compassionate homes they are really amazingly wonderful dogs.
I hope Law enforcement go after every person who participated at those cruel events. Their children needs to be in therapy. They too, were exposed by those most atrocious conditions. We are living in a most sick society.
Very sad. And 5 children...what they must have seen.
Somedays I don't know about humans. sigh.
They probably will end up in jail for a couple of years and then end up working for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hired as coaches no less.
these pigs should face the same dilemma...fight to the death and then die.....execute them both....WHITE TRASH
would love to punish them myself.....pliers are a wonderful tool only to be followed by a sodering iron........even that would be too lenient
oh, by the way, they will be looking for you two in general lockup and the shower area.....ENJOY!
Hey, this gives me an idea. An eye for an eye. Stick them in a cell with some big, strong prisoners and have them fight till they almost get beat to death, then have it happen again the next day and on and on, just like they did to these poor dogs.
animal cruelty? animal cruelty? that's it, that's all these scumbag psychopaths are going to be charged with.....put the whole entire family, including the kids, to sleep. Nothing good will come of the offspring of animal killers..........now the man and woman can be knocked around first. And, I'm being kind.
I just can't understand the mindset of someone who can do or even watch such cruelty! No conscience, no empathy. It makes me so sick to think of those trusting dogs being made to do such things and being tortured for their loyalty. What's worse, these losers go out and kidnap other people's dogs to use as bait dogs to teach the dogs to fight. They tape their mouths shut so they can't fight back. I've been following a post of a woman who's pitbull was stolen from her yard and she is frantically trying to find him. Find the dog fighting ring and she will probably find her dog, unfortunately not the way she last saw him. Laws have to change!!!
I say we send them to Jail for a year or two, then cheer for them every Sunday afternoon, while giving them millions of dollars.
To the Santiago's... Kill yourselves.
I hope that everyone who has them as a neighbor or fellow townsman will have the decency to shun these scumbags. Leave the kids out of it. I also hope they take the time to prosecute the other @!$%#s who participated in this travesty. No light sentences or mercy from the judge either! They didn't have the decency to give some poor dogs any mercy so they don't deserve any for themselves. Lets also exile them from our species- degrade them to homo habilis at best (sorry homo habilis!). People who make animals fight each other for entertainment demonstrate their unfitness for the homo sapiens sapiens classification. I wouldn't be against their legislature passing a one time law allowing both of their mothers to get a post-term abortion right now either- mater potestas!
Merlin, you are nice to leave the kids out of it but, the nut doesn't fall from the tree. Especially, when dealing with white trash and animal fighting scum. Those kids will grow up to be sludge just like the parents.