Italian prosecutors seize 24 doped pit bulls in dogfighting probe, 12 under investigation

Searches and seizures

Prosecutors in Parma ordered the searches and seizures, which were carried out on 15 October. Carabinieri from the Nipaaf in Parma worked with the Cites-Soarda operational unit, supported by Nipaaf and Cites units in Catania, Venice, Bergamo, Pavia, Pisa, Grosseto and Rieti. The operation resulted in 24 pit bulls being seized in the provinces of Parma, Bergamo, Venezia, Pisa and Rieti. Twelve people are under investigation in those provinces and in Serbia, on charges that include animal mistreatment, organising unauthorised fights and training dogs for them. The inquiry was opened in 2025 by the same Carabinieri units.

Equipment and the doping programme

Investigators recovered treadmills, heavy chains and collars with pockets for weights from the searches. They also found steroid drugs, along with calendars and diaries used to plan doping schedules. A standardised ring with wooden boards and a synthetic mat was seized, which investigators say was used to stage bouts. According to their reconstruction, the dogs were raised from puppyhood, trained and steered toward the fighting circuit using this equipment.

Arena and online video

The fights were allegedly staged in an arena found in 2025 at Tizzano Val Parma, a wooded area in the Parma province. Videos and photos of the bouts were posted online, on websites, social networks and messaging apps, to raise the economic value of the animals. Investigators describe an organised group made up of residents of central and northern Italy and Serbia, which promoted the fights. The fights were reportedly organised to earn money from betting and from selling the dogs considered the strongest.

Imports from Serbia

Some of the dogs were imported illegally from breeders in Serbia. An analysis of the animals' foreign passports reportedly traced the entry into Italy of several pit bulls from Serbian kennels. The imports were supported by a network of trainers, traffickers and veterinarians abroad, which the investigators describe as complicit. Investigators are still working to define the roles and responsibilities of those involved.

Rehabilitation of the seized dogs

Some of the seized dogs are being cared for by the Cave Canem foundation, which runs rehabilitation programmes for pit bulls under seizure. Mirko Zuccari, the foundation's dog trainer manager, described their condition in remarks quoted by Fanpage.

“All things considered they are doing well, though they show signs of a difficult past.”

He said the dogs show behaviour typical of animals raised in a traumatic setting, where each day brought the next fight or training session. He added that the dogs had never experienced a sense of belonging or family life.

Scale of the trade

Fanpage cited the Lav zoomafia report for 2023, which estimated the business in Italy of animals used in fights at 75 million euros. Local reporting shows more cases, including an operation in Sicily that broke up a fight ring linked to betting. The Parma case adds to a pattern in which the trade in fighting dogs has been seen as marginal. Investigations into the international network are continuing.