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‘Dog fighting and animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Newton County,’ the sheriff said
Andrea CavallierMonday 24 November 2025 22:47 GMT
open image in galleryA dog-fighting ring was busted in Texas that led to the arrest of 45 people, according to authorities. (Newton County Sheriff's Office)
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A massive dog-fighting ring in rural Texas was shut down when deputies raided a property and arrested 45 people, seizing nearly $74,000 in cash, authorities said.
A local described the alleged ring as “one of the most disturbing crimes” he has ever witnessed.
The weekend bust was part of Operation Pitbull, an investigation launched in March after months of community complaints, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Prior to approaching the property on Saturday, deputies used a drone equipped with “FLIR” technology and located several people known as “spotters” stationed in the area who investigators believe were acting as lookouts for law enforcement.
“When law enforcement arrived, an active fight between two dogs was taking place in a pit clearly constructed for the purpose of dog fighting,” Newton County Sheriff Colton Havard said.
open image in galleryA dog-fighting ring was busted in Texas that led to the arrest of 45 people, according to authorities. (Newton County Sheriff's Office)“Most of the individuals at the scene fled into a wooded area but were ultimately captured by law enforcement.”
Deputies separated the two injured dogs and secured them in kennels before taking them to the Nederland Emergency Veterinarian Clinic for treatment, authorities said.
In total, 45 people were taken into custody, with help from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Parks and Wildlife and other agencies.
open image in galleryDeputies used a drone that spotted several people stationed around the property who investigators believe were acting as lookouts. (Newton County Sheriff's Office)Havard said roughy 40 vehicles were towed from the property – many containing illegal drugs, along with firearms and approximately $73,858 in cash.
“Dog fighting and animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Newton County,” Havard said.
“In my years in law enforcement, this is one of the most disturbing crimes I have ever witnessed, and the individuals involved should be ashamed of themselves. As your Sheriff, I vow to utilize every resource at our disposal to combat criminal activity in our county.”
