MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Department of Agriculture now has permanent state custody of eight dogs seized in Meriden that were part of an alleged multi-state dogfighting ring.

An independent animal behaviorist is now determining if the dogs are suitable for re-homing.

Seven other dogs seized from a home in Orange are still being held at the Milford Animal Shelter.

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is also seeking permanent custody of these seven dogs.

State police say that dogfighting goes hand in hand with other crimes.

“There might be something else that is going on, whether it’s in the home or in the family. It might be a larger scale, like something else, like narcotics or gun sales. There is some type of correlation,” said Trooper Christine Jeltema, CT State Police.

Dogfighting is a persistent problem in Connecticut, and over the last month, animal advocates and officers got a good look inside the world of dogfighting.