Blood Sports In New York: Police Deal With Animal Cruelty

The last half of June was busy with police battling cruelty to animals in New York, with one case involving cockfighting and other dealing with fighting dogs. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman could be said to have been crowing about a bust of would-be rooster robbers June 20. He said a pair of people broke into a barn in Herkimer County where gamecocks were being held.

The birds — 200 of them — were seized in a raid June 17 dubbed Operation Bloodsport. The operation saw 41 people arrested.

The birds were being treated for injuries sustained during cockfighting and were considered evidence in the case.

Cue Juan Jose Lucca Vega, 41, and Wanda Santos, 42, both of Utica.

They allegedly broke into the barn where the birds were being held and attempted to remove about 50 of them.

Schneiderman vowed to prosecute the erstwhile rooster robbers.

“Poultry pilferers who try to fly the coop with our evidence will be brought to justice,” he said.

Then police seized 19 pit bulls June 21 from an Orange County dog breeder who was charged with 44 counts of violating the state Agricultural and Markets Law that deals with animal fighting.

Dominick Barizone, 48, of Crawford, was arraigned in Queens June 22 and released on $25,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint, Barizone was approached by an undercover police officer to purchase a dog bred for fighting.

The puppy was allegedly priced at $2,000 and $1,500 of it was allegedly paid to the Barizone via two money orders.

A second undercover cop met with the breeder at a mall in Newburgh at which time he allegedly produced two puppies from which to choose.

A court-authorized search warrant was executed, and police found the dogs, breeding charts, along with magazines related to dog fighting and tools used on the animals.

Queens County District Attorney Richard A. Brown said that, fortunately, because of the investigation, 19 animals were rescued.

“No animal should be treated in such a vile fashion and the defendant will be held accountable for his alleged actions,” he said.

Lanning Taliaferro/Patch Staff contributed to this report.

Photo credit: VCG/VCG via Getty Images.