15 people held after gardai raid dogfight

A 40-strong group of gardaí and members of the ISPCA yesterday raided an illegal dogfight at a premises in Kildare. Some 15 Irish and English nationals were detained at the scene.

Domestic cat skins were found nailed to the wall of an outhouse near the barn. It is thought the dogs may have been blooded on the cats to prepare for the fight. The skins of the dead cats may have been kept as souvenirs.

ISPCA director of operations, Mr Alastair Keen, said the scene was "as bad as it gets".

"The pit was dug into the ground, there was carpet on the floor and a three-foot-high corrugated fence, inside which the dogs were fighting. There was blood on the carpet, which we suspect originated during more than one fight."

The fighting had been organised in a professional manner and the pit was clearly marked with corners, to which dogs are dragged during breaks in fighting.

A substantial amount of cash was seized and the ISPCA took eight dogs into care. The crowd was understood to be placing bets on the outcome of the fights.

Two pit bull terriers were in a pit fighting when the raid, which was backed by the Garda air unit, took place just before 12 noon at a barn in a secluded location near Robertstown. The two dogs were in poor condition. Both needed stitching for injuries to their forelegs, chests and faces.

The barn was part of a group of buildings which included stables and workshops. It is understood none of the buildings was being used for farming or any other commercial activity.

Three of 15 onlookers tried to escape through the fields. However, all of them were detained. One man in his 30s was arrested under the Betting Act and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The dogs found at the scene included pit bull terriers, collies and a pit bull pup, which was in the boot of a car.

Illegal dogfights are not uncommon in Ireland. Dogs fight for more than a hour and many die afterwards from a combination of shock and loss of blood and other fluids. The ISPCA said Ireland was regarded as a "safe haven" for the practice because of the remoteness of many parts of the country.

The dogs are pitted against each other in a series of rounds, between which they are sponged down, similar to a boxing match. A referee decides the winner.

The fights are organised in secret months in advance, often over the Internet. A fighting weight is agreed for the dogs, which is checked just before the bouts begin. Scales were recovered at yesterday's scene.

Gardaí usually become aware of the fights after they have taken place and so arrests and prosecutions are rare, said the ISPCA. It is difficult to say how often they take place.