SMITH COUNTY, Texas — Many of the dogs found in a suspected dog fighting ring in Smith County are significantly injured and in need of homes.
The Smith County Sheriff's Office on Monday seized 52 dogs at a property in the 9000 block of County Road 4136 in connection with the investigation into the alleged dog fighting ring. Brothers Kerry and Michael Jones have been arrested in connection with the investigation.
Some dogs were found malnourished with multiple injuries. Six of the dogs with the worst injuries were taken to Spence & White Veterinary Hospital, where Dr. Gary Spence and his team stayed late to clean and care for them.
Spence said Tuesday while the dogs heal, they are in desperate need for people to foster the animals.
"My hospital is full; I don’t have a bed open. Nicholas Pet Haven next door is full. The county (animal shelter) is full, and these dogs are going to be held for 20 to 30 days while all this adjudicates. Some of the dogs that are down with Smith County right now, they don’t have the room, and of course that kind of forces euthanasia," Spence said. "So we’re going to try to get a lot of the dogs out of the county into foster homes."
Those who are willing to foster an animal can call Spence & White Veterinary Hospital, located at 12901 State Highway 155 South in Tyler, at (903) 561-6422 or the nonprofit animal shelter Nicholas Pet Haven at (903) 630-4242.
Catch Me If You Can, a seafood restaurant located on Highway 155 in Flint, has set up a donation box to help to bring in necessities to help the animals. The items asked for include bleach, blankets, paper towels, trash bags and Clorox wipes and any other cleaning items.
"If anything, pray," Catch Me If You Can said in a Facebook post.