Infinity Farms Animal Sanctuary and Rescue

Forty-five people were arrested in Newton County, Texas, after authorities say months of complaints led deputies to a rural property where an active dogfighting operation was underway.

The investigation was called Operation Pitbull, and Sheriff Colton Havard said it began in March 2025 after the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received repeated tips about suspected dogfighting in the Call community. By the time deputies served a search warrant, officers had reportedly used surveillance, spotters and coordination with other agencies to move in safely on a hidden location where people had gathered.

According to local reports, when deputies arrived they found two dogs actively fighting inside a makeshift pit. Several people tried to run into nearby woods, but authorities said they were eventually captured. In all, 45 people were arrested. Investigators also seized about $73,858 in cash, fi****ms, illegal narcotics and multiple vehicles from the scene.

KFDM reported that 16 dogs were seized during the operation, including the two dogs found in the pit. Those two injured dogs were separated, placed in kennels and taken to the Nederland Emergency Veterinarian Clinic for treatment.

For people who love dogs, the numbers are hard enough. But behind every number was an animal who did not choose any of this. Dogs used in fighting cases are often treated as equipment, not living beings. Their fear, pain and confusion become part of someone else’s entertainment or profit.

That is what makes this case so disturbing.

Sheriff Havard said dogfighting and animal cruelty would not be tolerated in Newton County, calling it one of the most disturbing crimes he had seen in his law enforcement career. The investigation was still described as ongoing, and officials said additional details would be released when available.

This is also why tips matter. Authorities said the investigation began because people reported what they believed was happening. Dogfighting is often hidden in remote places, behind closed gates, and protected by silence. It can take months of work to uncover.

The arrests matter. The cash and evidence matter. But the most important part is that 16 dogs were found.

Now they are no longer invisible.