Severely injured dogs, likely used in dogfighting, found dumped in Hartford

Hartford police are investigating after a pair of severely injured dogs were found dumped on the side of a road in Hartford.

The dogs were found near the area of Mark Twain Drive and Albany Avenue on Friday, according to animal control.

A volunteer with Dog Star Rescue who goes by the name of Leonard, first found one of the dogs lying on the side of the road while driving back to his house.

“These dogs might have been there before 8 a.m. on Friday,” Leonard said. “I got there around 9 a.m. and there were a couple people already there trying to help.”

According to animal control officers, one is recovering in their care while the other had to be euthanized due to extensive injuries. One of the dogs had severe lacerations and injuries to their face.

“I pulled up and got out of my vehicle and was able to leash the dog in the street. Some people there then informed me that another was dog severely injured in the woods,” Leonard said. “I then saw how incredibly bad it was. It wasn’t an emotional response to see that in the moment, because I was just thinking how I can help this poor dog. My mindset was just about helping at the moment.”

The pair of dogs were both pit bull breeds and animal control officers said that they exhibited classic dogfighting injuries.

“The police that were there said it appears to be a classic dogfighting ring going on,” said Dog Star Rescue President Dan McCabe. “Leonard called me asking for help so I immediately drove there as well. In that location there’s no cameras or businesses around.”

Leonard said that both of the dogs displayed no aggression and that he believes they were used as “bait dogs” for other fighting dogs.

“These are often very submissive dogs that dogfighters use to just tear to pieces to build aggression,” Leonard said. “I don’t think these dogs even fought back, they probably just took the brunt of being bit and attacked by more aggressive fighting dogs. They were truly gentle. There was no other type of injury that I saw that they bit another dog. It’s just terrible. It’s the worst I’ve seen.”

While many dogs can show signs of aggression, Leonard said pit bull breeds have a bad reputation.

“I know people want to focus sometimes on the breed of the dog, but these were truly gentle and really wanting help,” Leonard said. “Generally you have to be careful handling dogs so you don’t get bit by accident. But that was’t a concern. This is just the lowest of the low. In the hierarchy of things, people who hurt women, children and animals are the lowest of the low in my opinion.”

Hartford police Lt. Aaron Boisvert said the matter remains under investigation.

“Dogfighting hasn’t been confirmed at this point, but it’s being considered,” Boisvert said.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com