LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A River Rouge man was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to dog fighting charges.
Kevin Warren, 52, received the probation sentence after pleading guilty to two counts related to his engagement in dog fighting, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced in a press release.
Warren also owes the Michigan Humane Society $1,580 in restitution, must undergo cognitive behavioral therapy, and is not allowed to own a dog during his probation.
His involvement with dog fighting was discovered in 2020 after a complaint was made to the Michigan Humane Society. A search of Warren’s residence in September 2020 revealed three dogs with physical injuries consistent with fighting.
A search through Warren’s Facebook account showed messages dating back to March 2019 that were related to breeding and selling dogs for fighting.
“Dog fighting is a cruel and brutal practice that has nothing to do with sport,” said Nessel in the release. “In Michigan we are going to prosecute the violent training and fighting of dogs as both the inhumane treatment of animal life that it is as well as the needless and vicious threat to public safety it imposes on our neighborhoods.”
“In the 30 years that I have been an investigator, I have never seen anyone receive mandated therapy,” said Mark Ramos, Community Resources Manager at the Michigan Humane Society, in the press release. “Mandated cognitive behavioral therapy is unprecedented and gets to the whole issue because it forces defendants to think through their actions as opposed to probation and fines. This is a huge win for all people, animals and communities.”
