3 arrested, several dogs seized in Chester Co. dog fighting ring bust

Chester and York county deputies busted a dog fighting ring this weekend in Richburg.

Acting on a tip, deputies went to a home on Circle Drive where they discovered the ring. Officials seized several dogs and towed four vehicles.

Roger Cook, 32, Rowena Hay, 30, and Angela Hutchins, 19, all of North Carolina, were charged with animal fighting. They were booked Sunday at the Chester County Detention Center, where they remain on a $15,000 bond.

The dogs were taken to the Chester County Animal Shelter. The report did not indicate the status of the dogs’ health or list a breed.

Two of the dogs taken into custody had “extensive” flesh wounds, according to a release from the Humane Society of the United States. When officers arrived, a dog fight was in progress in front of at least 100 spectators.

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, wrote in a blog post Monday that “tools of the trade” were found at the site, including medical kits, scales for pre-fight pairings of dogs and sticks used to separate dogs in a fight. Firearms were also found tossed throughout the area, he wrote.

This story was originally published August 24, 2015 at 9:24 PM with the headline "3 arrested, several dogs seized in Chester Co. dog fighting ring bust."