Nine pit bulls that police say were kept as guard animals at a marijuana grow house in Detroit were rescued following a raid on Tuesday afternoon.
Police seized 40 marijuana plants from an outdoor grove guarded by pit bulls, behind what WXYZ calls "a neatly kept house" on the city's west side. Authorities also confiscated a gun from the premises.
(Scroll down for photos)
When officers found the pit bulls, they called Detroit Dog Rescue, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, to remove the dogs.
“[The yard] was set up so that you had to weave in and out of the dogs to get to the marijuana plants that were being grown behind the garage,” Dante Dasaro, a DDR board member, told the Detroit Free Press. "It was like Indiana Jones."
Police also say they believe the dogs were being used in organized animal fights, according to ABC Detroit.
WDIV reports the five female and four male dogs will be boarded at DDR and put up for adoption.
According to Detroit Dog Rescue, there are more than 50,000 homeless dogs loose in Detroit, but since there are only 23 City of Detroit Animal Control Officers to perform rescue operations, many strays that are picked up are euthanized.
See pictures of these nine pit bulls rescued from the marijuana grow house in Detroit.
Nine Pitbulls Rescued In Detroit
To donate for the care of the dogs, visit www.detroitdogrescue.com or call 313-458-8014.