23 Dogs Seized in Dogfighting Probe | Macon News

Macon Georgia News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 1, 2026 · 1m

Federal prosecutors are seeking to permanently seize 23 dogs—plus 7 puppies born in custody—from a Crawford County property linked to suspected dogfighting, citing horrific neglect, abuse, and evidence of illegal activity. Found chained in filthy, unsanitary conditions with no food or water, many suffered visible wounds, parasites, and even parvovirus—with one euthanized. The owner, Robert James Hester, has a decades-long history of animal cruelty and fighting charges, including valuing his dogs by bloodline. A federal judge must now decide whether to grant forfeiture, paving the way for the…