Polk County man accused of using small feral hog to train fighting dogs

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Authorities have arrested and charged a man accused of using a small, feral hog to train his dogs at his home in Polk County.

The hog, which weighed about 50 pounds, was placed in a fenced pen with three grown dogs in the backyard of the suspect's home, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities said the suspect videotaped the event as the dogs barked at, tormented, chased, attacked and bit the hog in the left ear several times.

The suspect placed the video of the incident on Facebook, along with photos of a dog hanging by his teeth from a tire in a tree, another training exercise for fighting and baiting, authorities said.

Deputies said the suspect told them he placed the dogs in the pen with the hog to train them to catch hogs. He said the hog in the pen was later killed and eaten.

The suspect surrendered five dogs and another feral hog located on the property to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

He was arrested and charged with training dogs for fighting and baiting.

WFTV