MS dog fighting ring busted with 29 dogs seized. See details

The Panola County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that 29 dogs were seized by the office Saturday night, after busting a dogfighting ring outside of Como, Miss.

At a residence on Rayburn Road, the sheriff's office said deputies were able to seize 13 vehicles that were at the scene and whose owners or occupants were participating in the dog fighting.

Damien Smoot, 37, of Como was arrested and charged with dogfighting, which is a felony. Smoot is the homeowner of the residence where the operation took place, according to the office.

The sheriff's office said in this ongoing investigation, more arrests are expected to be made.

Many of the dogs were found in "various stages of health" and had scars from previous fights, according to a press release from the Panola County Sheriff's Office.

"The PCSO is working with other entities to ensure these dogs get the best available care," the news release said.

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President of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy Wayne Pacelle said he applauds the sheriff's office for "cracking down" on a dogfighting operation.

"Dogfighting is one of the most despicable crimes, and whenever it's uncovered, people rightly ask how anyone could be so cruel and ruthless," Pacelle said. "Only with this kind of strenuous enforcement will we see the demise of dogfighting in our nation."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Panola County Sheriff's Office seizes 29 MS dogs from dogfight ring