Police: Abused Pit Bulls Found During Drug Investigation

Even after being fed by animal control, a pair of young pit bulls could barely stand Wednesday.

Veterinary technician Sandy Gainey said they were brought in so malnourished that their ribs stick out. They weigh just a third of what they should.

“With a pit bull (this age), you're looking at 6 pounds. This one is 2 pounds. This one's 1.8,” said Gainey at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control.

Police seized the puppies early Wednesday along with cash and drugs, including crack cocaine, while arresting a man at a house on Scottsdale Drive in southeast Charlotte.

In July, officers arrested another man inside the same house. At that time, they said they found pit bulls whose ears had been jaggedly sliced off with razor blades.

“They're abusing those dogs to make them tough, make them mean, and their future, in my opinion, would be in the dog-fighting ring,” said Officer Steve Selogy of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Both Jerry Lee Pittman, who was arrested Wednesday, and Robert Strickland, arrested in July, face animal cruelty charges.

That’s good news for Doris Boyd, who said she often heard dogs barking and crying next door.

“I don’t understand how people can be cruel to animals. But if they have low regard for life, animals are a part of life,” she said.

Police said they hope for a better life for the puppies now that they’ve been seized. Officials at Animal Control said they should be able to recover and be OK.

As for the four other pit bulls seized in July, they're doing well. Police officers said they want to adopt one of them as their mascot.

Among the items taken by police was a laptop found in the home they raided Wednesday. Investigators said they want to know if it contains information about dog fighting in the area.

Pittman has been arrested 21 times in Mecklenburg County. He’s already out of jail on bond.