DAYTON — wo men were arrested Wednesday on charges associated with dog fighting after Montgomery County Animal Resource officers and Dayton police confiscated 39 pit bulls from a house at 43 Boltin St., according to a police report.

Police are investigating whether the dogs were being used in a possible dog-fighting operation.

The men, ages 44 and 41, were booked into the Montgomery County Jail, pending the dog-fighting charges, having weapons while under disability, possession of criminal tools, and possession of drug abuse instruments, the report said.

The 41-year-old man, who lives in Beaumont, Texas, told police he transported the pit bulls in crates inside a minivan from Texas to Dayton and that he sells dogs, the report said.

Montgomery County Animal Resource Center Director Mark Kumpf was at the Boltin Street scene. In his report, Dayton Det. Keith Coberly stated, "Some of the dogs had their ears chewed completely off."

Police also found several firearms, "numerous bottles of injectable substances and a hypodermic needle," a backpack containing $4,480, a money order made out to one of the men for $750, underground dog-fighting publications, a "slap mill," which is a non-motorized dog treadmill used for dog cardiovascular conditioning by people who train fighting dogs, and a photograph of a female dog strapped to a "rape rack," which is a homemade contraption used for breeding that prevents the female from warding off male dogs, according to the police report.

The dog seizure on Boltin followed the seizures of 31 pit bulls from 4901 Hoover Ave. on July 24 and four pit bulls from 177 Anna St. and 332 East Lincoln St., both on Sept. 1.

Simon Denby owns the Hoover property, according to a document filed Aug. 11 in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. The document was a complaint for a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent injunction against the Dayton Police Department and the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.

Denby said via Attorney Charles W. Slicer that he was not allowed to take photographs of the dogs or obtain an independent evaluation of the dogs and also asked the court to keep the animal resource center from charging him kennel fees unless and until he is charged criminally.

On Aug. 16, the court ordered that Denby, along with a veterinarian of his choosing and his attorney, be allowed to take photographs and have the veterinarian do an evaluation. "Any examination of the animals is at the participant's own risk," Judge Michael Hall wrote in the order.

Denby dismissed his claims against the Dayton Police Department on Sept. 8.

His case against the animal resource center is still pending.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.