Pit Bull Rescued From Virginia Dog Fighting Ring Disappears In Bushwick
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Brooklyn woman who rescued her dog from a fighting ring in Virginia is terrified that her pit bull will end up back in the clutches of one.
The 3-year-old blue-eyed pit bull, named Lily, disappeared around 11 p.m. Monday.
Lauren Richeson said she tied the dog to a pole before going into the Tradewise Market near Broadway and Kosciusko Street in Bushwick.
"I ran in and came out," the 25-year-old said. "Lily's leash was there but she wasn't on the leash."
Richeson began running up and down the street screaming her dog's name before flagging down a police officer.
Richeson said she rode in the police car and yelled at passersby, asking if they had seen a dog.
"Everybody was pointing, saying, 'Keep going, we just saw a man with a dog,'" Richeson said. "They told me that they saw a short, Hispanic gentleman, with a light complexion and a red shirt, dragging a dog by the collar down the street."
The search turned up empty.
Richeson said she rode around on her bicycle until 7 a.m., scouring the neighborhood for her missing dog.
Since Lily's disappearance, Richeson has been putting out flyers and posting messages on Twitter in hopes of finding her dog.
"She's very friendly, she doesn't bite," Richeson said. "She's a sweet girl and she's already been rescued once, so she shouldn't have to go through this again."
Richeson is afraid Lily could end up back in a dog fighting ring.
"She's fixed, so they can't breed her; she's not violent, so they can't fight her, but she could be a bait dog," Richeson said. "I've been trying to keep it out of head because I don't want to think about that but this place is a crazy place."
There is a reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Lily.
Anyone with information is asked to call (757) 309-0116.
