According to the Anti-Cruelty Society, there are some 20,000 to 40,000 dog fight “fans” in the United States who operate underground and use the Internet to help organize dog fighting events.  That’s 20,000 to 40,000 sick, twisted criminals who have no place in civilized society and who deserve no less than the pain and suffering they deal out to innocent animals. 

Anyone who participates in this disgusting slaughter is supporting evil beyond imagination.  It’s not bad enough that the dogs are subjected to injuries and death in the dog ring, but cowardly bullies like Michael Vick and his partners in crime are responsible for the deaths of many dogs that were shot, drowned, hung or electrocuted.  Immoral scum like Vick apparently chained many dogs to cars close enough to agitate each other, but not close enough to bite each other.  This is a common tactic that these purveyors of evil use to train fighting dogs for combat. 

People who participate in this may have are attracted to this disgusting and vile crime do so for various reasons, none of which are noble or uplifting.  In many cases, the attraction is greed.  Illegal betting of thousands of dollars in a single fight is not uncommon.  For others, the attraction lies in using animals as an extension of themselves to fight their battles for them.  Since these individuals are weak and ineffectual human beings, the dogs represent an extension of the strength and power that these cowards lack.  When a dog looses, an owner can lose not only money, but status.  This often leads to cowardly and brutal actions against the dog.  Others who attend these dog fights come for the sadistic pleasure of a brutal and disgusting spectacle. 

Losing dogs are often discarded, killed or left untreated, unless they have had a good history of past performance or come from valuable bloodlines. If the losing dog is perceived to be a particular embarrassment to the reputation or status of its owner, it may be executed in a particularly brutal fashion as part of the “entertainment.”

Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. As of 2007, dog fighting is a felony in all states except Idaho and Wyoming, where it is a misdemeanor. In most states, the possession of dogs for the purpose of fighting is also a felony offense. Being a spectator at a dogfight is currently a felony in 20 states, a misdemeanor in 28 and legal only in Georgia and Hawaii.

The enforcement of animal cruelty laws begins with the individual. If you see something, please say something—notify your local police and/or humane law enforcement of any suspicious activities that suggest dog fighting is taking place in your community.

The people who participate in dog fighting, in any capacity whatsoever, are criminals who need to be prosecuted by the authorities.  We cannot consider ourselves to be a civilized society as long as this kind of behavior is allowed to continue.  Our humanity dictates that we treat the innocents with love and respect and that we protect them from the evil inherent in illegal dog fighting. 

Paulette Jones