One of the Nicest Compliments We've Ever Received Came From a Dog Fighter
Thursday, March 8, 2012
By: Tanya Hilgendorf

Director of Animal Cruelty Investigations Matt Schaecher and Cruelty Investigator Elise Ramsey, with Gucci and Bones

We receive plenty of praise and wonderful words of gratitude around here...

...adopters delighted with their new family member
...an ecstatic owner reunited with a missing companion
...a community member witnessing the rescue of baby ducks out of sewer drain
...a financially struggling pet owner whose animal was given life saving vet care

While appreciated, we aren't the type of folks to rest on our laurels. As you should expect, we are always looking for ways to do more and better.

So rarely does a compliment sink in very deep.

But, this one feels just too good to ignore. It came straight from a dog fighter one we just busted for selling a cute little puppy for the eventual purpose of dog fighting.

In an undercover email exchange with one of our Cruelty Investigators, the young man said he was intending to leave the area because he "loves pitbulls too much to stay in Washtenaw County".

Now don't be confused. By "loving pitbulls" he means the game of fighting, breeding and selling.

And, of course, we say "Good riddance!"

Dog fighters are people who are almost always involved in other gun, violent and drug related crimes. And, their dogs, usually the losers and the cast-offs who won't fight, often end up on our door step in a sad and suffering state. One only need to see one skinny, bloodied yet heartbreakingly still happy to see you dog to carry a big grudge against dog fighters.

HSHV began its battle against dog fighters about 6 years ago through the leadership of our now Director of Animal Cruelty Investigations, Matthew Schaecher. Though difficult and costly to investigate, Matt and his dedicated team have seen convictions of seven different individuals somehow involved in dog fighting. No doubt part of why dog fighters now consider our community inhospitable.

We at HSHV love our pitbulls and believe we need to do everything we can to stem the tide of abuse, neglect and backyard breeding. Enforcement of animal cruelty laws and general support of more responsible ownership, including spay/neutering, are critical.

Pits can be the best family dogs in the world, but there are still more dogs than people are willing to adopt. Though most have never been used in the dog fighting "business", myths and stereotypes perpetuated by the mass media still make good folks reluctant to bring one home.

This battle isn't nearly over, but I am very proud of the work we've done so far.

I am also grateful to so many others who have helped, including:

• Ypsilanti Township officials, especially Brenda Stumbo and Mike Radzik, who have worked tirelessly to create a safer community for people and animals;
• Washtenaw County Sheriff, Jerry Clayton, whose deputies work alongside us to help abused animals with dedication and fervor;
• the Washtenaw County Prosecutors and Judges, who have the heart and the wisdom to treat animal cruelty as the serious crime that it is;
• our staff and volunteers who provide all of our animals, without exception, with great loving care;
• adopters willing to give pitbulls a happy home;
• and, last but not least, our donors, whose amazing generosity allows us to do this work in the first place.

Together we will create a community that will tolerate nothing less than compassionate and responsible care for all of our beloved animals.