State officials are seeking state custody of eight pit bulls seized in Meriden during a raid of an alleged multi-state dog fighting ring.
The state attorney general's office says the dogs were found in cages in a backyard at the end of July.
They were near a makeshift, portable dog fighting ring. Dried blood was also found nearby.
Investigators found items used in dog fighting, including a kind of knife used to force dogs' jaws open after bites.
The dogs were physically healthy, but some of them had scars that appeared to be from fighting.
At least two of the dogs were aggressive.
“These pit bulls were viciously abused and conditioned to be aggressive and violent fighters," said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. "We are moving today for permanent state custody to ensure the safe care of the abused dogs.”
The dogs are currently in the custody of the state police, as evidence while the investigation continues.
Tong wants the animals to later be transferred to the state Agriculture Department.
Dog fighting is a felony crime in Connecticut.
