NO SECOND CHANCES
NJ Aid for Animals was in court yesterday (9/8/09) to represent the three pitbulls that were victims in a dog fighting ring.
The now convicted animal abuser, Khalil Spikes, pleaded guilty to a 3rd degree crime of “Fighting or baiting animals….keep a place to be used for purpose of fighting or baiting a living creature; permit or suffer a place owned by him; for amusement or gain; cause or permit fighitng or baiting a living animal, knowingly own, train, possess a living amimal for fighting”.
We were given the opportunity to either receive full restitution which we declined if Mr.Spikes would get 3 to 5 years in jail, but a plea bargain was reached instead for full restitution and five years probation.
Mr. Spikes has a long history of contacts with the authorities and it won’t be long before he is in jail of his own accord or in violation of probation by not paying restitution.
Although three of the seven dogs are now healthy and with loving owners, the millions of other dogs that have suffered and are suffering at the hands of dog fighters is unbearable to think of.
PLEASE IF YOU KNOW THERE IS DOG FIGHTING GOING ON, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, SPCA OR NJAFA.
REMEMBER THE HSUS OFFERS $5,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION ON DOG FIGHTING.
IF YOU WANT TO COME TO SALEM CO. COURT ON OCT 27 AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR NJAFA PLS COME!WE WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL THE POOR PITBULLS THAT NEVER WERE THIS LUCKY AND NEVER GOT “A SECOND CHANCE”.
NOEL, MIRACLE AND CHANCE HAVE HAD THEIR DAY IN COURT… WHAT OF ALL THE OTHERS?????????
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NJ – Khalil Spikes pleads guilty in Penns Grove dog-fighting case
by Randall Clark, Today’s Sunbeam
Tuesday September 08, 2009, 3:04 PMPhoto of Khalil Spikes
SALEM — He won’t be serving jail time, but a plea agreement Khalil Spikes has reached here will see him repaying more than $9,000 for
the care of several animals rescued from a dog-fighting ring in his Penns Grove home last November.
Spikes, 29, of Sheffield Drive in Willingboro, pleaded guilty to a third-degree count of allowing a place for dog-fighting during an appearance in Salem County Superior Court on Tuesday.
He will be sentenced Oct. 27 to five years probation in addition to the restitution, prosecutors said.
Seven abused pit bulls were allegedly seized from the Lanning Avenue residence in the borough on Nov. 16, as well as quantities of cocaine,marijuana and a .22 caliber handgun, according to authorities.
Spikes and two other suspects were charged with 31 counts of animal cruelty in the case, among other drug- and weapons-related offenses.
Four healthy dogs were subsequently taken to an area animal shelter,where sources said they were presumably euthanized.
The three in the worst shape, however, were treated at a Mullica Hill veterinary hospital, their bills paid for by the non-profit group New Jersey Aid For Animals (NJAFA).
NJAFA founder and president Kathy McGuire, who led the effort to save the dogs, sat with her notepad in court Tuesday as an advocate for the
animals, she said.
“I’m here representing these dogs as their witness,” McGuire explained.”Because they don’t speak for themselves.”
She said the vet bills for that first day alone were more than $1,000,adding Spikes will be held responsible for such costs.
Two of the rescued pit bulls, named Miracle and Noel, have since been flown to an animal sanctuary in Texas. The third, Chance, has been
adopted by a loving owner in a home without other animals or children,McGuire said.
Once called Scarface in the dog-fighting circuit, Chance bore the wounds
and gashes of his brutal kill-or-be-killed encounters. Miracle was likely
used for training and Noel for breeding.
In what she said was her seventh appearance in court here, McGuire recounted the doctor’s unconvincing prognosis for one of those dogs,
teetering on the brink of death when it arrived.
“They told me to put the dog to sleep,” McGuire whispered as court was in session. “I said, ‘Do whatever we can to keep him alive. Whatever it takes.'”
Animal control investigators apparently found fresh blood on basement walls in the Penns Grove home, dog-fighting equipment and animals
with scarring as well as recent bite marks.
They were called out to the scene Nov. 16 after receiving complaints that one of the dogs was hanging over a fence by its chain. It had apparently jumped over and was stuck dangling there, authorities said.
Salem County First Assistant Prosecutor William Brennan said previously
that some of the equipment seized in a search included canine medications, break-sticks used to open the jaws of dogs, a radio to
cover noise and a scale to weigh the animals.
According to McGuire, when Spikes’ sentencing date rolls around in October, she will be there once again, but this time with Chance in tow,putting a face to what she called unspeakable acts of cruelty.
Not everyone seemed thrilled with the idea.
“What happens if she bring my dog in and he jumps all over me because he’s happy to see me?” Spikes asked his attorney outside of
the courtroom. “That’s some terrible (stuff), bringing my dog in here.”
JULY 2009 – PIT BULL “SPRUNG” FROM CAMDEN CO. ANIMAL SHELTER
Poor Hef…..pitbull from Camden City, NJ that was in his own yard when a neighbor decided to she wanted to “play with Hef” and got bitten. Hef was minding his own business and his owners are good owners even allowing NJ Aid for Animals to take him to be neutered almost two years ago.
By law, Hef had to be taken by animal control to Camden Co. Animal Shelter where he had to be quarantined for the last ten days.
Today, June 30, Hef’s owners had no money to spring him or transportation to go get him. Kathy McGuire, our president and founder of NJAFA, took the owners to the shelter to pick up Hef and paid the $l00 to spring him AND $l5 for his rabies shot.
Poor Hef contracted kennel cough at the Camden Co. Animal Shelter, lost five pounds and is not eating at all. He had to go home with antibiotics.
Hef’s owners love him and try to do the best they can. He may not live in the most glamorous home but his owners do love him. They could have left him there to be euthanized.
Hef is home again tonight.
BUTTERS IS IN NEW JERSEY
Butters, the pitbull was transported from Toledo, Ohio to Sicklerville, NJ on November 6.
Pitbulls are not welcome in Toledo, Ohio where the dog warden makes it very difficult for these animals to exist.
A local rescue group in Ohio contacted NJ Aid for Animals about helping to rehome Butters who is a lovely and friendly pit. Butters had been owned by someone who died and left poor Butters all alone. Butters was sitting by his dead owner when they found him. He had a severe case of mange and is finally healing up.
Through our contacts we were able to locate a local rescue who agreed to take Butters ….but how to get him here on a ten hour trip?
Our Advisory Board member, Karen Ash who lives in Toledo was driving to NJ for our Annual Board Meeting so the fit was perfect. Why not kill two birds with one stone….drive Butters to his new home and attend the board meeting at the same time?
What a sight for sore eyes when they arrived….over 500 miles just the two of them in the car together Karen driving and Butters sitting on the seat behind her slobbering all over her shoulder and looking out the window, both arrived happy. Butters is safe and secure…..see his smiling face?
Yvette, Dora and Coco
OH BOY NEW DIGS!!!!
This is a gang in Camden NJAFA “takes care of”…Yvette, the owner, (who just came out of the hospital and cannot separate two large dogs that have frequent altercations; Dora, the mastiff, who we had spayed and even supplied a dog house for her (after taking off the back fence just to fit it in) and replacing the fence….
Add to the mix, Coco, the pitbull, who was dumped on Yvette by her nephew because Coco was too “old” and he didn’t want her anymore. Yvette did NOT want to take Coco to the shelter and have her put down and all she needed was a “cage” to keep them separated.
Because of our limited funds for our summer program services due to our major fundraiser of the year being cancelled, we did not have money to purchase a new crate.
Thanks to fellow pb lover, JR who donated AND DROVE the two very large crates for Dora and Coco to our house so we could deliver them to Camden the next day.Thanks to John and so many others for reaching out to NJAFA. Yvette is going to help NJAFA at the next rabies clinic in Camden to say “thanks”.
Little Bridgette found wandering the streets of Trenton….what a sweet little girl she is and now she is in her forever home!!!
This is Coco….NJAFA received a call from a woman in OHIO about having to give this beautiful baby up.. We contacted a sanctuary in Ohio and Coco is living out the rest of her life there. She is blind and has a severe cleft palate.
This is Appollo and Sebastian. A very nice lady fostered them for us until they could go to their new rescue place in North Jersey and to their forever home. They were found in Trenton and brought to NJAFA
PIT BULL STORY – click here – Power Point Show click here
3/30/08 – Fill the Pit in Your Heart Event a Success – What an awesome event. Everyone said the chocolate was fabulous and they ate too much!!! NJAFA raised tons of money.. more pictures coming.