Dogfighting is on the rise in Fayette County, according to a humane agent, but it does not appear to be connected to any organized networks. "It's amateur fighting, if there is such a thing," said Elizabeth Davidson, of the Fayette Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "It's mostly just wannabe thugs getting dogs together to see who is tougher." State police at Uniontown filed felony charges of animal fighting against three men who are accused of promoting dogfighting at residences in Brownsville and Luzerne Township. In addition to video footage of a dogfight, police executing a search warrant for drugs discovered an alleged dogfighting pit, weights and "break sticks" in the basement of one of the men's houses. Weights are dragged around by a fighting dog to condition the animal for matches, said John Goodwin of the Humane Society of the United States. Break sticks, which are the size of a hammer handle, are inserted into a dog's mouth to force it to release its bite. The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are some 40,000 individuals involved in organized dogfighting and another 100,000 unorganized "streetfighters." Some 250,000 dogs are forced annually into dogfighting pits. Just as is alleged with the Fayette case -- in which police found evidence of dogfighting while searching for drugs -- dogfighting is often associated with other illegal activities, according to the national humane society. Davidson said humane agents suspected dogfighting at the home of one of the accused men, James Holcomb Jr. of Brownsville, but they never had probable cause to take the animals. "We've been watching him for a while because there have been continuous turnarounds, where's he's had 10 dogs on the property at one time, and then they disappear," Davidson said. "But there's never been any reason for us to go in because there were no violations that would let us take the dogs. They try to do everything under the radar." Goodwin said dogfighting is a secretive underworld because of its moneymaking potential, both through gambling on matches and stud fees. Such fees can range anywhere from $500 to $10,000, depending on the number of fights a dog has won. Usually, the fees are between $500 and $1,000, he said. "A male dog can breed every day, so you would make $500 to $1,000 each time," Goodwin said. According to the police affidavits, Holcomb paid $900 for a female dog, Laylo, that was confiscated in the drug raid. The dog later had eight puppies, which were sold for undisclosed amounts. Police said the sales took place while Holcomb was incarcerated in state prison on a drug charge. Laylo and another dog found at Holcomb's house, Stress, are at the Fayette SPCA until the dogfighting case is resolved. Davidson said the dogs will ultimately be humanely euthanized. Fighting dogs can't be placed in homes because of their aggressive nature, Goodwin said. Fighting dogs that turn out to be losers in the pit face worse fates, according to Davidson. Those that don't die of their injuries are starved to death or electrocuted. She said Fayette humane agents once discovered six dead pit bulls that had been electrocuted in a field, but there wasn't enough evidence to press charges. Davidson said most reports of dogfighting in Fayette County originate out of Uniontown and Brownsville. "We have a couple of addresses in Uniontown we are watching, but Brownsville is probably our biggest problem area," Davidson said. "There are some bad people down there, and that's how they like to pass their time." The Humane Society of the United States offers a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and conviction of dogfighters. Anyone with knowledge of dogfighting is asked to call Trooper Tim Knapp of state police at Uniontown at 724-415-1205 or the Fayette SPCA at 724-438-3121.

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