Philadelphia Dog-Fighting Ring Busted

courtesy of Seattle Dog Spot

Philadelphia Police arrested between 15 and 20 people, confiscated 25 dogs, and found a supply of drugs and guns at 3 homes on Monday. The raids were the result of a months-long investigation between police and the Philadelphia SPCA, according to the Inquirer.

At about 12:01 a.m. police raided a home on Gerritt Street in South Philly. At about 7:00 a.m. police raided a Boudinot Street home in Kensington, and then a Potter Street home at about 10 a.m. Wendy Marano, a PSPCA spokesperson, told the press that the first raid led to the discovery of the second and third locations.

In addition to the dogs, authorities found marijuana, cocaine, heroin, a large amount of cash, and weapons. Vitamins, steroids, and treadmills used for the dog fights were seized by police.

One of the arrested, Rashwan Coleman, 30, received 5 years probation for animal cruelty, s well as 5 years in prison for drug dealing.

Marano said that when authorities entered the first home, nearly 20 people were watching two dog fights. All suspects ran while the fights were left in progress. PPSPCA workers are currently attending to the animals, treating injuries and administering medications.

Marano said the organizations hopes to make it clear that attending a dog fight is just as much a crime as conducting one.

Wales Will Launch Plant Database

Scientists in Wales are attempting to catalog all 1,143 species of native flowering plants. The project is to better study plant genetics and bee pollination patterns, as well as verify the authenticity of Welsh-made products, according to BBC Earth News.

The Barcode Wales Project is led by Dr. Natasha de Vere of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Dr Tim Rich of the National Museum of Wales, and Professor Mike Wilkinson from Aberystwyth University. By collecting live samples and examining preserved samples from the National Museum, the team extracted DNA specimens from every species.

Daffodil, the national flower of Wales

The gene sequences of individual Welsh plants will share commonalities, which can identify them among other plants in the Barcode of Life Database. By comparing earlier species with newer varieties, scientists will be able to determine how genetic variation changes over time.


"Potentially we can reconstruct past landscapes by identifying plants form seeds within the soil profile and it will help us understand how plant communities are assembled, vital for predicting the effect of climate change," Vere said, according to WalesOnline.


Scientists can also use the barcodes to track the nutritional requirements of endangered animals, examining fauna fecal samples. 


The teams findings are due to be published sometime this summer.