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Dog fighting, a practice as secretive as it is brutal, remains a persistent concern.
Those involved in this illicit bloodsport meticulously conceal their identities, fearing legal repercussions.
However, a digital oversight by one individual led an undercover BBC investigation to expose members of what is believed to be “one of Europe’s largest dog fighting networks.”
The BBC’s investigation traced fighting kennels to unexpected locations across the UK, ranging from a densely populated housing estate to the grounds of a historic stately home.
A simple error by a member of a clandestine online forum unveiled the disturbing realities of contemporary dog fighting.
The leaked information included graphic reports detailing numerous fights and the resulting injuries inflicted upon the animals.
Animal welfare charities, including the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) and the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), quickly seized upon the wealth of intelligence.
This leak offered the first glimpse into a highly secretive international dog fighting syndicate, which the BBC has spent the past six months investigating and exposing.
“I can’t really put into words actually, it was just golden,” stated Russ Middleton, former police officer and Head of Intelligence for LACS.
UK law prohibits not only dog fighting itself, but also the ownership, training, and trading of fighting dogs, as well as the unauthorized filming of fights.
“There was a whole range of different dogfighters in there, all collaborating, chatting, sharing videos. It gave us a real insight to the global perspective of dogfighting.”
Mr. Middleton characterized the network as “one of the biggest in Europe.”
Following a trail of evidence embedded within online pictures, posts, and videos, the BBC has uncovered an organized network of illegal dog fighters extending from the UK across Europe and beyond.
According to David Martin, an experienced veterinarian and expert witness in previous dog fighting cases, the practice is far more prevalent than commonly believed.
“It is going on in probably every major town and city in the UK.
“It is enormous amounts of abuse and cruelty at every stage,” Mr. Martin stated.
Since 2024, the League Against Cruel Sports has received over 600 reports of dog fighting, with a more than 50% increase in reports over the past two years.
However, the organization notes that the true number of dog fights occurring in the UK is impossible to determine, as the secrecy surrounding these events means that many go unreported.
For campaigners like Russ, any instance of dog fighting is unacceptable.
The BBC investigation identified several UK-based dog fighting kennels operating discreetly in unexpected locations.
In one instance, the owner of a dog that had recently killed its opponent in a fight pit ran a kennel nestled within a busy County Armagh housing estate populated by families and their pets.
“They want to keep their dogs out of sight, they don’t want to be identified by the authorities as someone who has got dogs that are banned,” Mr. Martin explained.
“They would have to be extremely careful if they were going to take their dogs out to the environment to make sure that their dogs didn’t come across other dogs, otherwise there would be bloodshed.”
Another kennel was discovered hidden within the grounds of Shane’s Castle Estate, a prominent stately home in Northern Ireland.
The estate’s grounds were used by Boneyard Kennels to house and train fighting dogs.
The USPCA and LACS have identified Boneyard Kennels as a significant player in the UK dog fighting scene.
Shane’s Castle Estates informed BBC News NI that it opposes dog fighting and was shocked to learn of such activities occurring on its property.
The estate stated that it would have intervened had it been aware of the situation.
The BBC identified David Patterson, a mixed-martial arts coach from County Antrim, as the individual behind Boneyard Kennels.
The investigation traced approximately 40 fighting pit bulls to Boneyard Kennels, matching pre-fight training videos of several dogs to a walled garden located deep within the Shane’s Castle estate.
David Patterson denied any involvement in dog fighting and stated that he is not a member of any international dog fighting network.
He claimed that he often cares for dogs belonging to others and is interested in both human and animal fitness.
The BBC also uncovered evidence suggesting that Craig Kitson, an associate of Patterson’s, was also a member of the dog fighting network, operating under the alias “Spongebob.”
The alias “Spongebob” appeared as a referee in numerous dog fighting match reports and as a handler of dogs from Boneyard Kennels.
Craig Kitson had previously garnered attention for a disturbing video depicting him holding his deceased dog.
With the dog’s muzzle taped shut, Mr. Kitson bit its ear, seemingly as punishment for biting his child.
Craig Kitson told the BBC he was not actively participating in dog fighting and that he is not the person identified as Spongebob.
He expressed remorse for the video in which he bit the dog’s corpse, stating that he was not responsible for its death.
By posing as a dog fighter, the BBC successfully infiltrated online platforms and gained the trust of members within the broader European network.
After several months, one member of the syndicate agreed to meet in Amsterdam to sell the team a fighting dog.
Zoltan Borbe, known by the alias NFK Kennels, was secretly filmed boasting about his fighting dogs.
“I have one grand champion female that maybe I sign here for the seventh match,” he stated, unaware that he was speaking to a BBC journalist.
The term “grand champion” is used to describe a dog that has won at least five fights.
Borbe sent videos of the black pit bull he was selling, a two-year-old named Ruby, to demonstrate its “gameness,” which refers to a dog’s determination to fight.
Zoltan Borbe later denied involvement in dog fighting, telling the BBC that he fabricated the story in order to sell dogs.
The secrecy surrounding dog fighting results in few animals being rescued, and those that are often face euthanasia. In the UK, pit bulls are a banned breed.
Ruby has been placed at a center in the Netherlands specializing in the rehabilitation of high-risk dogs through training programs.
“It’s just a lot of observation,” explained Hella Van Den Beemt, the center’s lead therapist.
“To be fair towards the dog, you always have to go in with an open heart and just give the dog every room that it needs and you will bond with the dog.
“They always have a chance, but there are a lot of factors that we have to consider in that.
“If it’s really strongly embedded in a character, then we have to calculate the risk.”
The five cygnets are released into the wild four months after hatching from the rescued eggs.
Animal Justice Project filmed employees at Mere Farm, Barton upon Humber, North Lincolnshire.
Iblis the Asiatic lion had “far exceeded” his species’ usual life expectancy said zoo staff.
The public is being asked to pick from a shortlist of four names – all beginning with N.
A husband and wife have devote the last three years to helping the spiky mammals when they are found ill or injured.
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