Man charged in Tacoma dog-fighting case caught promoting dog-breeding business on social media

A Tacoma man facing 75 animal cruelty and animal fighting charges has been ordered to stop promoting his dog-breeding business on social media after prosecutors tried to have his bail increased for violating a court order. 

According to court documents, Elmer Givens Jr., the man accused of operating a dog-fighting ring out of his Tacoma home, was ordered March 4 to not "possess, board, breed or promote breeding of any dogs." It was a condition of his $150,000 bail. 

But prosecutors say Givens has not complied, citing two social media posts on March 12 and March 18 and a website advertising dogs for sale that was still active as of March 29.

One of the posts declared a "minor setback for a major comeback" with a photo of a dog, while the other was a photo of dogs that appeared to be in Givens' basement. 

Elmer Givens (Q13 News photo)

Givens also discussed owning dogs in several phone calls he made from jail, court documents state. He told friends he was planning to "set up somewhere else" when he was out. 

Prosecutors say Givens' decision to "repeatedly violate" the court order is "consistent with his actions of previously ignoring court orders pertaining to the ownership and possession of dogs."

RELATED: 23 dogs connected to a Tacoma animal cruelty case are available for adoption

The judge declined to increase Givens' bail, but added the following conditions to his release: 

"The Defendant is not to use any social media, website, or any other source for the promotion or breeding of dogs. Current social media sites or websites are to be taken down immediately."

Animal control has taken 107 dogs from Givens’ property since December 2019. Investigators have found evidence of dog-fighting and breeding, including medications, syringes, first-aid supplies and training tools at his home.