The Humane Society of Colquitt County confiscated 15 pit bull dogs — including eight puppies — and found evidence the dogs had been used to fight.

  (Photo courtesy of Colquitt County Sheriff's Office/WALB)  Xavier Barber, 25, of 805 First Ave. S.W., was charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty, dogfighting and obstruction. Moultrie Police Investigator Tamika Scott said he was placed under arrest shortly after he arrived at the house, and he allegedly struggled with officers when he was being placed under arrest.

Don Flowers, executive director of the Humane Society, said an Animal Control officer was at the scene after an anonymous caller reported possible dogfighting at the house. The dogs were taken from the house after a warrant was obtained and served.

Barber’s mother and several other people were at the scene when officers served a search warrant. Scott said, however, Barber is the only person who had been charged in the case.

The dogs and various items found at the scene showed alleged dogfighting, Flowers said. Several of the dogs had scratches to their faces, legs and bodies, and several were on heavy chains or in small cages. One dog was aggressive toward Animal Control officers, as it dug a hole, jumped at them, barked, growled and bit at its collar and chain.

Also found at the kennel was a device used to train the dogs to go after another dog, and Flowers said a treadmill found was used to strengthen the dogs. The treadmill had a wood covering around it that would allegedly keep the dogs from getting off of it as they ran.

An abandoned and condemned house next door was a possible place for dogfighting, Flowers said. A package of chicken pieces was found on the floor, and spots of blood were found near the chicken.

While many of the dogs had scars from possible fighting, the others appeared to be malnourished, including a puppy that was close to death when it was found. Flowers said the puppy died while it was being taken to the Humane Society.

“All indications are that these dogs were fought,” Flowers said. “A dog doesn’t get that many scars unless it’s fought.”  Along with the dogs, Flowers said trash bags filled with empty cans appeared to show several people were involved whenever the dogfights were held. All of the dogs were taken to the Humane Society of Colquitt County, where they will be held for five days before they are put to sleep. The pit bulls will only be released if the owner comes in to claim them but none will be available for adoption.

  (Photo courtesy of The Moultrie Observer)  Animal Control Officer Chuck Rice hold three pit bull mix puppies that were found in a kennel behind a house on First Avenue Southwest. The puppies were among 15 dogs collected, and many of the full-grown pit bull dogs had evidence of being fought.

Update 10/8/07:  The Humane Society of Colquitt County has discovered that the dogs confiscated in what was believed to be a dogfighting operation here in Moultrie have not had rabies shots and some of the puppies already have died.

Don Flowers, executive director of the Humane Society, said none of the 15 pit bull and pit bull mix dogs, including eight puppies, had not had required vaccinations.

The dogs and various items found at the scene showed alleged dogfighting, Flowers said. Several of the dogs had injuries to their faces, legs and bodies, and several were on heavy chains or in small cages.

Also found at the kennel was a device used to train the dogs to go after another dog, and Flowers said a treadmill found was believed to have been used to strengthen the dogs. The treadmill had a wood covering around it that would keep the dogs from getting off as they ran.

A search of an abandoned and condemned house next door was a possible place for dogfighting, Flowers said. A package of chicken pieces was found on the floor, and there were spots of blood also found near the chicken.

Flowers and Scott said this is the first alleged case of dogfighting found in Colquitt County. Among the dogs that did not have scars from possible fighting, the remaining dogs appeared to be malnourished, including a puppy that was close to death when it was found.

“All indications are that these dogs were fought,” Flowers said. “A dog doesn’t get that many scars unless it’s fought.”  Flowers said a puppy died while it was being taken to the Humane Society. Two more of the puppies that were brought to the shelter died over the weekend.

Along with the dogs, Flowers said trash bags filled with empty cans appeared to show several people were involved whenever the dogfights allegedly were held. It’s possible that some of the dogs had been stolen. There have been numerous reports of dogs, particularly bull dogs, being stolen locally. All of the dogs were taken to the Humane Society of Colquitt County and will only be released if the owner comes in and can prove the dog is his. None will be available for adoption. The dogs will be kept for a total of five days before they are euthanized.

The Humane Society has received several calls about the dogs, some claiming it was their dog and it was stolen, Flowers said. The shelter will not, however, release a pit bull unless the owner has paperwork proving he is in fact the owner of the dog.

Update 10/11/07:  Law enforcement and Humane Society officials now believe dogs found Oct 2nd had not been used in dog fighting.

The eight pit bulldogs had been abused, though, said Don Flowers, executive director of the Humane Society of Colquitt County. He said the dogs were not confiscated and the owner was given time to correct the conditions. If he fails to do so, the dogs could be impounded by the Humane Society.

The Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office and the Humane Society responded to a house on Pierce Road after an anonymous person reported possible dogfighting there.

Flowers and sheriff’s investigator Shannon Hart said the dogs had scars, but not so significant as to indicate they had been fought. Flowers said the dogs were on short leashes and with no food or water.  “We’re giving him the opportunity to fix the chains and correct the situation,” Flowers said.

15 pitbull and mixed-breed dogs were confiscated, including eight puppies. Some of the puppies died shortly after the Humane Society took them. Most, if not all, of those dogs were expected to be euthanized.

Update 12/3/07:  A Moultrie woman was shot execution style after being held at gunpoint with her six children inside her Moultrie home. Her ex-boyfriend is now charged with her murder.

Police say Vicky Ann McBurrows and her ex-boyfriend Xavier Barber were arguing over her new boyfriend. McBurrows' family described Barber as a violent man who was charged in October with 14 counts of dogfighting and animal cruelty. Now they say he gunned McBurrows down in her own backyard.

It was at Xavier Barber's home in October where Moultrie Police found 14 dogs bloody and fought. Last night it was a different fight, an argument that escalated between Barber and mother of his two year old, Vicky Ann McBurrows.

"He forced her and her child whom she had with her, I don't know the child's name or age at this particular time, to walk back from First Avenue Southwest to her residence," said Officer Dave Underwood, Moultrie Police.

At McBurrows' Apartment, Barber barricaded the doors and held McBurrows and her six children ages 10, 9, 5, four year old twins, and the two year old at gunpoint. Vicky Ann's sister, Marlina, says she got a phone call last night about 8:45 p.m. saying that Vicky Ann and her six kids were inside the house and Xavier Barber had shown up with a gun. She asked her sister to call police.

"At some point during the incident a loud knock came at the back door, with that knock, Ms. McBurrows runs to the back door to see who it is and uses that as an opportunity to escape from the apartment," said Underwood.

Barber was just steps behind her as she ran. That when neighbors say, the silence was broken.  "I heard one gun shot," said Jessica Boyd, a neighbor.   At close range and with friends and family watching in horror Barber fired, then ran. Neighbors also came running.

"I came back through the front door and I looked at the side of the house and I saw the girl lying there, dead," said Boyd.

Police were on their way, but given a wrong address. They arrived minutes after the shooting and tracked Barber down at his home where he surrendered and later confessed.

"It could have turned into something really bad with him in that house and just thankful that he cooperated he complied," said Underwood.

Now Barber's in jail awaiting court proceedings on dog fighting charges and now charged with murder, cruelty to children, kidnapping, false imprisonment and burglary and aggravated assault.

Reference:

WALB 10 News