THIBODAUX — Lafourche Sheriff’s detectives are investigating a series of gruesome discoveries in which garbage bags filled with dead pitbulls were left alongside a Raceland road.
Many of the dogs appear to be severely underweight and have either red or blue collars. Others have already begun decomposing by the time they are found.
Authorities began investigating complaints a few weeks ago of dead dogs being dumped along North Service Road, which links La. 1 and La. 182. As many as a dozen dogs have been dumped this year, area residents estimated.
While the motive for the dumping the remains is not yet clear, Lafourche Chief Deputy Bud Dill said it does not appear the animals were used for dogfighting because they do not have defensive wounds consistent with that activity.
“They wouldn’t be malnourished” if they were being used for dog-fighting, Dill added.
Stephanie Merrell, a North Service Road resident, first noticed a dead dog at roadside while driving. She didn’t suspect anything unusual because people drop tires and other garbage off in that area, she said.
“I thought it was a really lazy person who didn’t want to dig a hole and dump their dog,” Merrell said. It was the first time she had seen something like this in her six years living on North Service Road.
Merrell’s mind changed when she noticed the dog had been placed in a bag.
“I was disgusted and angry that people would do that ... that they would have such little concern and caring for these dogs,” she said.
She took pictures of the remains and made notes, something she now does every time she saw a dead dog inside a bag near the same area.
Merrell sent her findings to Lafourche Sheriff Craig Webre in an e-mail. Webre told her that his deputies would begin an investigation.
Merrell did her own quasi investigation awhile back, in which she posted fliers informing people of what was happening. She said a group of men at a convenience store told her the dogs were likely involved in dog fights in the Raceland community of Alidore. No hard evidence has been found to prove those claims, however.
Alison Matherne, who dates Merrell’s son, said she, as an animal lover, is disturbed by the constant sight of dead dogs.
“I was disappointed somebody would do that,” Matherne, 24, said. “That’s not something someone wants to see everyday as they’re driving to work.”
