Eight adults and a juvenile were charged yesterday with animal cruelty and related offenses after Baltimore County police broke up what they said was an organized dogfight Saturday night in Lochearn.

All were arrested in a raid on a dwelling in the 4000 block of Buckingham Road, police said. The adults were being held at the Garrison Precinct last night in lieu of bail, ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, police said. The juvenile was released to the custody of his parents.

Police did not release the names of the suspects.

Several police officers spent most of yesterday at the Buckingham Road dwelling, searching vehicles -- left behind during the raid -- for owner identification and other evidence, said Bill Toohey, a county police spokesman. Twenty-one vehicles, including a sport-utility vehicle with a Michigan license plate and cage in the back, were towed from the property.

Toohey said more people could be charged as police link the vehicles to their owners. Some returned yesterday, trying to reclaim their cars, he added.

"A number of people got away, but we have their cars," Toohey said.

An anonymous caller notified police of the dogfight about 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Toohey said. An officer arrived at the two-story house to find dozens of vehicles parked along the circular driveway and in the front and back yards.

People ran from the attached garage, which had its windows covered with newspapers, and scurried into the wooded area behind the house, Toohey said. Some took dogs with them.

Twelve pit bulls, with serious injuries, were seized by county animal control officials, Toohey said.

Tammy Cook, a dispatcher for animal control, said a veterinarian examined the dogs yesterday and did not find any life-threatening injuries. Officials will determine today what will be done with the dogs.

Inside the garage, Toohey said, police found a ring constructed of 4-by-8-foot pieces of plywood.

Police also found a scale, medicine for dog injuries and bite sticks, which are foot-long instruments inserted into the animals' jaw to pry their teeth apart, Toohey said.

Toohey said arranging or conducting dogfights is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of a $5,000 fine and three years in jail. It also is illegal to attend dogfights.

State Del. George W. Owings III introduced legislation last month to make animal cruelty a felony. But the bill was watered down in committee. Killing or maiming a police dog was added to the animal cruelty statute. The measure was approved last week by the House of Delegates and sent to the Senate.

Owings, a Democrat who represents Calvert and Anne Arundel counties, said acts of animal cruelty can be linked to other violent behavior.

"I've got to believe that people who involve themselves in blood sports aren't above transferring their aggressive nature to people," Owings said.

The raid Saturday, Owings said, could be an indication of a more widespread problem.

"If we are catching this many," Owings said, "how many are going undetected?"

Toohey said he did not know of organized dogfighting rings in the county.

"Dogfighting is not a very persistent problem in the county," he said. "It's more sporadic."

Toohey said the man living in the house has not been located, but his wife and 2 1/2-year-old daughter were staying with friends. The woman has not been charged, Toohey said.

Yesterday, the modest house with a white exterior and reddish-brown roof was empty and locked as the vehicles were being towed away. The constant rain soaked the ground, making it difficult for police to remove some vehicles. Deep tire tracks were left in the front and back yards.

Posted on a tree in the back yard, near a child's slide, was a red sign, which read, "Beware of Dog."

Atam Singh Mehta, who has owned the two-story house for five years, said he did not know of any illegal activity at the property. He declined to release the name of the renter, but said the family had lived there for three to four years.

"Those are decent people," Mehta said.

Pub Date: 3/22/99