"22 indicted in multistate dog-fighting ring" Associated Press December 23, 2014
BALTIMORE — After the raid of a multistate dog-fighting ring, 22 people face charges and hundreds of dogs have been placed in shelters, authorities said Monday.
A Baltimore grand jury returned indictments against 22 people involved in the ring, 14 of whom were in custody. They all face charges of animal cruelty, dog fighting, and conspiracy.
The indictments came last week after a yearlong investigation. Authorities raided 18 locations in the Baltimore area and a compound in West Virginia. The ring also had links in New York and in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., where several alleged members were part of a dog-fighting bust in April 2013.
In all, authorities said they recovered 225 dogs, including 50 puppies, and at least 20 weapons. At least one dog had died after a fight, officials said.
‘‘These indictments bring into the light a form of brutality that for too long has unfolded in the forgotten basements and backyards of Baltimore and beyond,’’ said Thiru Vignarajah of the major investigations unit at the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office.
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Related(?): 13 puppies snatched from Manchester pet store
"Oldest of zoo gorillas turns 58 at Ohio facility" Associated Press December 23, 2014
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The first gorilla born in a zoo turned 58 on Monday with a celebration transmitted live to online viewers from her Ohio home.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium says the female western lowland gorilla, named Colo, celebrated her birthday with an Ohio-shaped cake made of peanut butter, applesauce, honey, shredded carrots, and Greek yogurt frosting.
Colo was born at the zoo in 1956. Officials there say she is the oldest gorilla in any zoo. She is the mother of three, and her family tree includes more than two dozen descendants living at zoos across the country.
Meanwhile, in Argentina on Monday, a court ruled that an orangutan who has lived 20 years at the Buenos Aires zoo is entitled to some legal rights enjoyed by humans, a decision the ape’s attorney called unprecedented.
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Also see:
Nature center wants dead mice to feed to its animals
For six lucky families, Christmas elves bring kittens
Feline fame in cyberspace gives species a boost
Dog believed stolen from Dorchester yard
PETA wins suit for names of UConn researchers
Kinda going up the food chain there.
