Honk News (Atlanta, GA) – A man from Georgia received a staggering 475-year prison sentence following the rescue of over 100 malnourished pit bulls found tied to trees and metal stakes in his backyard, part of a significant dogfighting operation crackdown.
Vincent Lemark Burrell, 57, received his sentence on Thursday following a jury’s guilty verdict earlier this week on charges related to dogfighting and animal cruelty.
On November 8, 2022, officials conducted a search of Vincent Burrell’s residence in Dallas, Georgia, uncovering a disturbing find.
“Everywhere you looked, you couldn’t take a step in any one direction without there being another pit bull staked out on a chain,” said Paulding County Assistant District Attorney K.C. Pagnotta, adding it is believed to be the longest such sentence in the nation’s history for this crime.
The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release that Burrell was involved in both breeding and training the pit bulls. Authorities discovered a total of 106 canines, with the majority being pit bulls. Officials reported that some dogs were severely underweight, while others exhibited strength and high levels of aggression towards their canine counterparts.
“The sad part is that the vast majority of these animals just craved the love and attention of the Deputies and Detectives that were on the scene,” the agency said in the press release.
In a significant operation, 106 dogs were successfully rescued and relocated to multiple rescue facilities.
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Canines were secured to trees and metal posts. They were deprived of adequate hydration and nourishment.
“These animals were tied to various things using large and extremely heavy logging chains and thick collars,” officials said. “Many of these dogs were basically left in the elements with little to no shelter for days on end.”
Several dogs were kept in the basement, where the stench of urine and feces was so overpowering that officials needed to don protective gear to safely access the residence.
“Conditions where dogs were being housed, both inside and on the exterior of this property, were not fit for humans, much less dogs,” the press release continued.