The Michigan Attorney General’s office is partnering with an animal rights group to go after possible animal abusers.
The teamwork with Michigan Humane has already resulted in animal fighting charges being levied against a Wayne County man, according to the two organizations.
Michigan Humane President Matt Pepper said complex cases like the alleged dog-fighting ring require resources from both his group and the Attorney General.
“It’s often weeks if not months of investigation and putting the time in. On her end, it’s designating some of her prosecutors and investigators to help us sift through that evidence to help determine when and what charges are most appropriate. It’s a lot of time and a lot of expertise that go into these cases,” he said.
Pepper said they usually handle around 4,500 animal cruelty calls each year.
He said large-scale investigations often start with complaints made to his organization, and pursuing them is resource intensive.
“A lot of it doesn’t happen above ground, a lot of it is underground activity that is difficult to pin. A lot of dog fighting, for example, if we were to focus on dog fighting, occurs in very short notice and in isolated areas and disperses very quickly as well,” he said.
Pepper said he expects more charges in other cases to come through the partnership.