NATCHEZ — Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten sent out a plea for help Tuesday afternoon to area veterinarians.

After deputies discovered what appears to be a dog-fighting farm with nearly 60 dogs many with severe injuries, Patten said he has no place to house the animals and efforts to seek expert help have not materialized as quickly as he had hoped.

“I need our local people to help us,” he said. “The conditions out here are horrible. We are pleading for help right now.”

Patten said local veterinarian Dr. Robbie Savant had agreed to take five of the worst animals into his care.

“He stepped up to the plate for us,” Patten said.

The sheriff said he hopes other regional veterinarians can do the same.

“We need veterinarians to help us,” he said. “I need them to step up and help. “We need veterinarians,” he said. Some of these dogs will have to be euthanized, but some can be saved.”

Otherwise, Patten said, he does not have a good place to house the animals.

“I’m trying to get some more cages down here,” he said. “We’re going to have to house these dogs for a while.”

Patten said citizens who wish to help are asked to donate money to the sheriff’s office so they can purchase dog food and either buy or build a place to house the animals as the investigation proceeds.

Patten said he has been in touch with people from the national humane society as well as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seeking help.

“One of the experts said they’re prepared to handle this and they would be overwhelmed by the amount of animals we’re dealing with,” Patten said.

Patten said it’s possible the sheriff’s office may have to build some kind of temporary housing facility.

“If people could give us funds and some supplies, we could use inmate labor to build a temporary facility to house these dogs,” Patten said. “If someone will step up and donate some 2x4s and some concrete and some fencing we could make something.”

Any veterinarians who would volunteer to foster or member of the public who wish to donate funds to care for the animals are asked to call 601-442-3926.

“We need the funds,” Patten said. “We need to take care of these dogs.”

For now, the hungry dogs are still chained in the dirty pits.