Two men are facing charges after detectives said they allowed a pit bull to attack a caged raccoon.

Detectives said they became aware of the crime after one of the men posted video of the animal fight to Facebook.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, several people called to complain about the video, which showed graphic images of a pit bull attacking and fighting a caged raccoon.

Deputies say Damien Ja-Bree Haynes, 25, videotaped as Leo Edward Perry, 64, opened the cage holding the raccoon, then encouraged his pit bull to attack and fight the raccoon.

Deputies say others in the video are heard provoking and encouraging the pit bull to attack the raccoon, and that the animals fought each other in what became a "gruesome and bloody struggle." The video ended before the fate of the animals involved was known.

Investigators determined the video was filmed in unincorporated Largo, and they identified Haynes as the suspect who videotaped the fight.

Detectives spoke with Haynes on Friday evening at his home in Largo. They said that during the interview, Haynes admitted to videotaping the incident in March 2015 and posting it to his Facebook page on Feb. 16 of this year.

Haynes was arrested on charges of fighting/baiting animals, and was taken to the Pinellas County Jail without further incident.

Investigators said they later found Perry at his Largo home and confirmed it was the residence seen in the video. They say he admitted to the crime.

Investigators from Pinellas County Animal Services went to Perry's home and found 10 pit bulls. They say Perry voluntarily turned over the dogs to Animal Services.

Speaking from his home on Sunday, Perry, who has a state trapping license, said this was a misunderstanding. Perry said his dogs are hunting dogs and the video just showed how the dogs are trained and that he’s been doing it this way for 40 years.

"I'm an old country boy. That's all I ever did. If wildlife, if I killed rabbits or raccoons or whatever, this and that, I cooked it and I ate it. And several other people in the area do the same thing," he said.

 Perry was arrested on charges of fighting/baiting animals and was taken to the Pinellas County Jail without further incident.