Action Alert: Oakland Residents, please call DA's office asking to prosecute

September 3, 2006

Please call the DA's office to ask them to prosecute... (the Oakland

DA is known for going easy on animal abusers) .

http://cbs5. com/local/ local_story_ 244211600. html

(CBS 5) OAKLAND Animal control officials raided a backyard pit bull

breeding operation in East Oakland on Friday and confiscated eight

dogs that authorities say were mistreated and used for fighting.

A heavily-scarred pit bull is now being treated at the city's animal

services facility. Seven others, including 8-week-old puppies, were

all confiscated from a home on the 9300 block of Hillside St.

The dogs' owner, Mark Hutchinson, 41, was cited for animal cruelty

but denied that he used the dogs for fighting.

" I've owned pits. My father owned pits. I've never been charged with

any kind of animal cruelty, " Hutchinson said. " I was not mistreating

these dogs at all. My neighbors' kids play with these dogs, and they

walk the dogs. I pay them to walk 'em. "

Amaka Watson with the city's animal services department disputes

Hutchinson's claim.

" He breeeds. It's very obvious, " Watson said. " All the evidence that

we have leads us to believe that he's a breeder, and he's a known

breeder. "

Hutchison also violated a new city ordinance that allows a maximum

of three dogs in one household.

Some of Hutchinson's dogs will be put up for adoption. Most of the

others will likely be euthanized.

" The dogs that have been used for fighting -- there's no doubt we'll

end up having to put them down. Mr. Hutchinson ... basically ruined

these dogs, " said David Cronin of the animal services department.

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