A 14-year-old boy is the alleged leader of a vicious dog fighting ring which left three canines so badly tortured that they had to be euthanized.

Tortured: A 14-year-old boy is the alleged leader of a dog fighting ring where a Labrador, used as a 'bait dog', suffered such bad injuries it could not stand

Acting on a tip off, authorities seized nine dogs and two puppies from two houses in Flint, Michigan, last week and took the teenager into police custody. The boy’s mother was arrested on unrelated charges.At least three of the animals were found with multiple injuries typical of dog fighting, although some hurt was sustained from human torture.

Two of the dogs had such severe injuries, including fractured bones and open lacerations, that they could not stand up.

But despite a ‘gory report’ by the Genesee county veterinarian detailing the wounds of some of the dogs four of the animals will be returned to their owners after authorities say they don’t have enough evidence to hold them.

Brutal: Authorities rescued nine dogs and two puppies from two homes in Michigan - at least three of the dogs were found with both fresh and old wounds

Many of the injuries the dogs received are typically associated with dog fighting, according to Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell.

‘Dog fight injuries typically occur on the front legs and face from sparring,’ Pickell told M Live.

Authorities initially found a ‘bait dog’, a chocolate brown Labrador retriever, in the home’s driveway whose injuries were described as ‘just brutal’. The Labrador and two pit bull dogs had to be put down.

The ‘bait dog’, typically used to test other dogs fighting instinct, had bite wounds all over its body, with deep, severe wounds on its front legs.

It had a deep laceration along its shoulder, which was bleeding, and a fractured bone.

The base of the Labrador’s tail had multiple fractures likely to have been inflicted by the other dogs biting and pulling it, according to Pickell.

Another injury, inflicted by a human, revealed that the animal was likely the victim of blunt force trauma when a foreign object was inserted into its rectum.

A tan and white pit bull had fresh bite wounds on its ears as well as deep bite marks into its mouth, Pickell said.

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The animal also had three fractured ribs –  evidence that it had been tortured and kicked by humans.

The second pit bull had a fractured bone left untreated that had occurred more than three days ago.

While four of the dogs look likely to be returned to their owners the others, including two puppies, will be put up for adoption after they get a clean bill of health.

The exposure of the dog fighting ring has led State Representative Harvey Santana, D-Detroit, to proposing two bills that would crack down on animal abuse and neglect, according to NBC 25.

The bills suggest harsher fines and the creation of an animal abuse registry where offenders would register for five years and pay an annual fine of $50 dollars.

‘What happens when someone is convicted of animal abuse? Nothing. He doesn’t get put on a registry and he can go back out and adopt another pet,’ Rep. Harvey told NBC25.

“Finally someone is seeing sense regards an Animal Abuse Registry”

An investigation continues and police say arrest warrants should be issued imminently.

News Link:- Dailymail.co.uk