Twenty-three pit bulls—including 7 puppies—were found in Huntersville, North Carolina, amidst equipment normally associated with dog fighting, such as heavy chains and leashes and a “jenny,” used to get dogs to run around in circles.
Police officers and animal rescuers arrived at the scene from a tip and found the dogs “showing signs of bite marks and other injuries associated with dog fighting,” the Huntersville Police Department said in a press release.
“They’re alive, but they are in various states of medical conditions,” Kathryn Destreza, director of investigation for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said. “They’re not pets by any means, not like your dog, but they’re currently going through their medical evaluations.”
Police have called this an ongoing investigation and have not released the names of any suspects.
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Write to Tanya Basu at tanya.basu@time.com