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Overcast Abused Elmont pit bulls find home in Los Angeles
Pit bulls rescued from local residence will be featured on popular cable series
Six pit bulls rescued from an Elmont dog-fighting ring will soon have a new home on the West Coast, under the care of a famous dog trainer.
On Aug. 5, the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter found nine dogs — eight pit bulls and one German shepherd puppy — in the backyard of a residence on Virginia Avenue. Earlier that day, Marlon Bernier, 25, and Ricardo Louis, 22, who lived there, were indicted on several animal cruelty charges, following an investigation by the Nassau County district attorney’s office that uncovered evidence that the pit bulls had been trained to fight and attack one another.
The D.A. also found evidence that the men were breeding the strongest dogs in order to sell the puppies by way of a website.
Mike Deery, a town spokesman, said that one of the pit bulls was determined by the animal shelter to be eligible for adoption, and was adopted by a new owner. Another pit bull from the group was relocated to a rescue facility in Brooklyn, and the German shepherd was returned to its original owner, Deery said.
In an attempt to find homes for the remaining six dogs, the town animal shelter recently contacted the Los Angeles-based Villalobos Rescue Center, a pit bull rescue and rehabilitation group. Tia Torres, founder of Villalobos and star of the popular Animal Planet show “Pit Bulls and Parolees,” agreed to take the six dogs. According to Villalobos, Torres is planning to pick them up next week, traveling from Southern California — the center’s longest rescue trip to date.
The rescue of the dogs, which have been nicknamed the Hempstead Hopefuls by the Villalobos staff, is expected to be taped as a feature for “Pit Bulls and Parolees.” Torres said she believes they can be rehabilitated and become loving and loyal companions, despite their training to become aggressive fighters.
“We are thrilled that these dogs will be taken in by a wonderful organization that provides hope for pit bulls across the country,” said Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray.
