Dog fighting arrest in New Cassel

A New Cassel woman was arrested Friday night after Nassau police uncovered a dog fighting operation at her home that included more than a dozen wounded pit bulls and bottles of steroids and syringes.

Monica Christopher, 38, was arrested and charged with three counts of prohibition animal fighting, after Third Precinct officers were initially called to her home at 721 Broadway for a noise complaint, according to a Nassau County police release.

When officers arrived, a crowd of about 20 people ran out of a garage located at the back of the house, where officers found two bloody pit bulls and a wooden dog fighting area. Throughout the house, officers also found numerous dog pens and crates containing pit bulls with wounds to the face, nose and body.

Nassau police said the officers also found two treadmills designed for training dogs for fighting, several bottles containing penicillin and steroids and syringes.

The Town of North Hempstead Department of Public Safety Animal Control removed 18 pit bulls to the town's shelter where they are being evaluated. Nassau police said no further information on the dogs' condition was available Sunday night.