By Staff
A Flomaton man is in custody after an undercover operation revealed his attempt to sell a pitbull for dogfighting, Escambia County animal cruelty investigator Renee Jones said Wednesday.
Dale Lynn Carnley of 2130 College St. in Flomaton was charged Tuesday with dogfighting and cruelty to a dog, both felonies carrying penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Jones said she and Flomaton Police Chief Mike Lambert had information that Carnley had participated in a dogfight with his pitbull and was trying to sell the dog.
Undercover officers contacted Carnley and met with him to purchase a red-nosed, male pitbull who had extensive bite wounds on his neck, Jones said.
Officers took Carnley into custody and charged him with owning, possessing and keeping a dog with the intent to fight; cruelty to a dog in the first degee; and resisting arrest.
Dogfighting is on the rise all over this country, and we are definitely seeing its popularity within the segment of population that is male between the ages of 12 and 25," Jones said.
Carnley's dog, Batman, was taken into custody and received veterinarian care immediately, Jones said. Three other adult pitbull dogs were also removed from the property along with two three- to-four-week-old puppies. The mother of the puppies was not on the property, and her whereabouts were not identified. The three adults were in good condition with no scarring or wounds.
The puppies were extremely hungry and were accepted by a nursing Rottweiler named Daisy with three puppies of her own being housed at the animal shelter. They are currently doing well, Jones said.
The dogs will be fully evaluated before their adoptability is determined. Jones said the three adult dogs removed from the property do not show any signs of having been fought or trained to fight and there is no indication at this point that they were bred from game stock; therefore, the potential for their adoption, once the owner releases them or the court awards them, seems very good.
Carnley was transported to the Escambia County jail and will be held until a bond hearing is held.
The Humane Society of the United States offers $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a dogfighter. Anyone can give that information with his or her identity kept anonymous.