Atchison Man Charged With Dog Fighting After 8 Dead Dogs Found

ATCHISON, KANSAS --

Michael Vick may be generating national news for dog fighting, but Atchison, Kansas police believe similar crimes were going on in their own backyard.

An anonymous tip led police to the back yard of Keith Allen, 32. What they say they found were the remains of eight dead dogs, and 12 others in terrible shape.

If he treats his pets like this, how does he treat his family and friends

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson said what his detectives found on Keith Allen's property was stomach turning. Investigators shared photos of dog bones and a spring pole. Wilson said that's a tell-tale sign of a training operation for pit bulls fighting.

"Those who love dogs don't want to see dogs left in this type of heat, without water, without food, but more important than that they don't want to see them put in a situation where they're trained to fight and kill each other," Chief Wilson said.

Police took the remaining 12 dogs to the local shelter. Most were skin and bones and many with skin diseases. Officers had to put plywood between the crates to keep the dogs from attacking each other through the fence.

Because investigators believe all the dogs were trained to fight, none of them can be adopted out. Eventually they believe a judge will order all of them be put to sleep.

Allen wouldn't talk on camera, but a neighbor defended him, insisting he's merely a professional dog breeder. Police aren't buying it.

"Common sense will tell you when you find this many dogs, housed in the back, they're not family pets," Chief Wilson said.

Allen and a woman who lives with him are both charged with dog fighting and animal cruelty. Allen also faces 27 counts of animal cruelty in neighboring Doniphan County, where investigators found a treadmill which is often associated with training dogs to fight.