Pit bulls, puppies rescued from dog-fight training site

Police rescued six dogs and five puppies Tuesday night from a southwest suburban home apparently being used to train pit bulls for fighting.

Will County Sheriff's detectives found a treadmill -- the sort used to train fighting dogs -- as well as a large amount of steroids and needles, also used for fighting dogs, at the home, according to the sheriff's office.

Will County Land Use had "red-tagged" the home, which neighbors said no one had lived in for months, and notified Joliet Animal Control when they noticed five pit bulls tied up in the backyard, along with a dead dog.

Sheriff's detectives executed a search warrant Tuesday night at the home on the 710 block of Logan Street in unincorporated Joliet Township, according to a release from the sheriff's office.

Detective Sgt. Mike Kelley and Detectives Jack Ellingham and Dan Jungles conducted a preliminary investigation and found the attached garage contained a treadmill.

After they got the warrant, they went into the house and found a mother pit bull, along with five puppies. Four of the puppies were in good condition, but one was sick, according to sheriff's office spokesman Pat Barry.

The detectives also found a large amount of steroids and needles that would be used in the training of fighting dogs. Will County Animal Control, along with Joliet Animal Control, took custody of the dogs. Barry said they will likely be checked and then sent to area shelters.

Neighbors told police that while no one had lived in the house for months, they had observed pickups coming and going late at night. Detectives found no evidence that actual dog-fighting was taking place, but are investigating to find out who was running the apparent training operation.

No arrests had been made as of 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Barry said.