He's a registered dog breeder, but now a man from Archer is also an inmate at the Alachua County Jail, charged with animal cruelty, and now animal control officers have seized his pit bulls.

38-year-old James Earl Dennis was arrested Wednesday on one count of "Causing pain, death, cruelty and suffering to animals."

He also faces two counts of "Abandonment and confinement without food, water, or exercise."

Alachua County Animal Control officers seized 26 pit bulls from his home Thursday, and say many of them had mange and sores from where the chains around their necks have rubbed them raw.

"Some of the dogs that were impounded were tied to heavy chains. one of the chains involved weighed 18 pounds," said Vernon Sawyer from Alachua County Animal Services.

Dennis sells pit bulls and runs a website, DiamondPits.com, where he offers potential buyers advice on how to be an responsible pet owner.

He is being held on 55-thousand dollars bond.

By David Hamilton/WCJB TV 20 News