Drug warrant leads to possible dog fighting charges

Eleven dogs taken into custody in North Portland

By Daniel Savickas

The Portland Tribune, Aug 3, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Courtesy of Multnomah County Animal Services / Portland Tribune

One of 11 dogs taken from Robert Sheahart's North Portland home.

When Portland police went to 39-year-old Robert Sheahart's home on 8044 N. Seward to serve a warrant to search for marijuana, they found nine outdoor marijuana plants and 13 ounces of dried marijuana.

But they also turned up a handgun and 11 suspected fighting dogs.

Members of Multnomah County Animal Services assisted Portland Police in serving the warrant on Wednesday because they were aware Sheahart had a number of pit bulls on the property. Eleven dogs — four puppies, one four-month old and six adults — were found at the home.

“This person (Sheahart) was known to us,” said John Rowton, shelter manager at Multnomah County Animal Services. “He had a Web site about pit bulls who fight, and it talked about breeding dogs that were able to fight.”

Members of the animal services team identified enough material associated with training fighting dogs to have a judge amend the warrant to include impounding the dogs as evidence for possible animal cruelty charges.

Rowton said the future of the dogs is uncertain.

Two children, a toddler and a five-year-old, believed to be Sheahart's grandkids, were found on the property but do not live at the residence. The Portland district attorney’s office added child abuse and child endangerment to Sheahart's charges.

Heidi Moawad, deputy district attorney for Multnomah County, said Sheahart is being held on drug, gun and child endangerment charges but she hopes to add animal cruelty to that list.

"Next week I will ask the grand jury to consider the additional charges (animal cruelty) based on the evidence," Moawad said.

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