The parole hearing for convicted breeder of fighting dogs David Tant, originally scheduled for tomorrow, has been postponed.
Tant, 63, formerly of the Charleston area, pleaded guilty in November 2004 to more than 40 counts of illegally breeding fighting dogs, and one assault count connected to a surveyor who was wounded by a booby trap after he wandered onto Tant’s property in southern Charleston County.
The surveyor was showered by an explosion of birdshot, injuring him slightly. The device was described as a “directional mine” meant to ward off intruders.
Mr. Tant was originally sentenced to 40 years although the term was later reduced to 30 years. This will be his first parole hearing:
Attorney General Henry McMaster and numerous local animal activists had planned to attend the hearing to argue why they believe Tant, formerly of Charleston, should stay locked up.
In connection with the case, 47 dogs were seized and killed. While the conviction of Mr. Tant remains a very heated subject among SC dog owners, it does seem that the 47 dogs, presumably killed without receiving fair evaluations from qualified individuals, are often forgotten.
Every dog deserves a fair evaluation.
Yes you are correct The 47 dogs plus 3 litters of pupppies born in the care of the Charleston Animal Society’s care were killed and never given a chance!
There were people all over the world trying to rescue those animals and they were never given a chance. Mr. Tant paid the Charleston Animal Society $82,000 to care and feed them and then they killed them all. Even the puppies.
Thank you for pointing that out . Mr. Tant has been a model prisoner for 6 years and it is time to let him come home to his aging mother. Please sign our petition and send the parole board a note to support his parole. Please
When you say his “conviction remains a heated subject” that makes it sound as though he was not guilty as charged.
It seemed he was guilty. As for the 47 dogs being killed, that is Mr. Tant’s fault! He bred fighting dogs and caused the death of many more than 47 that in his career. And most if not all of those dogs died a much more gruesome death.
Even if he hadn’t been breeding fighting dogs, any dog breeder is contributing to the overpopulation of dogs that leads to so many being killed in shelters.
I encourage people to go to http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id= and oppose Mr. Tant’s parole.
I didn’t mean it to reflect an opinion one way or the other but rather to suggest that the case garnered widespread attention and strong emotional reactions on both sides.
The seized dogs were never given a chance, as so often happens when Pitbulls are “rescued”.