The district attorney of the 23rd judicial district says the TBI and Cheatham Co Sheriff’s department expect to serve warrants and make arrests in the case of a suspected dog fighting ring from which 65 dogs were rescued.

As the investigation continues, Fox 17 caught up with the some of the lucky animals that were rescued from those dangerous conditions.

     Samantha is a 14 week old pit bull.  She's playful and cute just like any other puppy.

"She is just a bundle of joy," said Kayce Hackett, a foster for Agape Animal Rescue.  "She loves to play."

Samantha was one of 65 dogs rescued from an Ashland City home on Buckeye Road November 22nd.

Firefighters responded to a brush fire near the home and found the dogs shivering, hungry and neglected.

"She actually was very emaciated when she came in," Hackett said.  "You could see her ribs and everything,  She was really underweight."

Agape Animal Rescue is one of the many organizations that is fostering the dogs.  The Nashville-based group took in Samantha and a litter of seven hound puppies that were born seven days after their mother Ellie May was rescued from the home

"She is the sweetest dog you ll ever meet," said Lauren Slatery who is fostering Ellie May.  "Her tail is going non-stop.  I think she's sleeping and her tail is wagging."

Investigators suspected the dogs were part of a dog fighting ring because they found aggressive pit bulls near treadmills and devices used to strengthen dogs' jaws.

They also found smaller breeds like beagles and hounds  Experts say those breeds are often used as bait dogs: animals the fighting dogs practice on, whose teeth are filed down so they can't fight back

"It's really hard but it's nice knowing that that's not going to happen to them," Slattery said.  "That they have a chance to grow up and go to a loving home."

And where in a different place they could have grown up to be enemies, now the pit bull and the hound puppies are all friends.

Hackett says instead of being aggressive or afraid of people, they're remarkably forgiving.

Agape says all of the puppies will be up for adoption soon.  You can find out more about them by visiting the Fox Links section of this website.
RAW NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Litter of Puppies Born to Suspected Dog Fighting Ring Survivor