Dog Fighting

It's not just two dogs fighting. It's not just Pit Bulls tearing at each other. It's more...much more.

It's a culture of violence that knows no bounds. It transcends the brutal treatment of animals and progresses ultimately to a lack of value placed on human life.

It does not exist alone in a bubble. It encompasses Animal Cruelty at its base level. From the repeated forced breeding of dogs, to the cruel and inhumane manner in which the dogs are kept, to the barbaric rites of training, to the blood sport in the ring, and ultimately to the disposal of the loser(s).

It is not glamorous...It is not neat and clean...It is not pretty

...and the animal's suffer. But there is more...

BREEDING

Female dogs are bred until they can no longer have puppies. They start forced breeding at a very young age. Puppies are either sold or kept for training.  Veterinary care is almost never provided. Once a female loses her worth, she is either starved and abandoned or used as a “bait” dog for other dogs to tear apart. 

TRAINING

The training of dogs for fighting takes on a new level of cruelty.  In some instances, the tails are cut off and ears cropped to streamline the dogs for fighting.  These “procedures” are not done by licensed veterinarians.  The dogs undergo a regime of endurance training.  They are beaten when they stop to rest and forced to continue.  In order to strengthen the dog’s neck muscles so it can lash out against its opponent and hold, heavy chains and weights are constantly used.

THE “FIGHT”

Dog fights occur under different settings.  There are “pick up” fights where individuals meet on the street and have their dogs fight.  The more organized dog fights occur at a location with a fighting “ring” and sometimes those involved even charge admissions. Each “match” has its own set of rules it follows.  The outcome though, whether organized or a street fight, is always the same for the dog.

THE “AFTERMATH”

After a fight, both dogs are wounded. Medical treatment is usually administered by the dog owner and not by a qualified veterinarian. Antibiotics purchased over the internet, usually for cattle, are administered to the wounds to stop infection. Badly injured dogs, or dogs the owner is “mad at” for losing, are typically abandoned on the street and left to die.  In some cases, the "losers" are electrocuted, drowned, shot, or placed dazed and half alive in a garbage bag and thrown in a secluded area to die.

BUT THERE’S MORE…

Although the extreme cruelty is aimed at the dogs, this violent “sport” brings with it more related issues.  Gang involvement with dog fighting is well documented.  Gang involvement means that dogs are being warehoused by gang members who are embedded in the neighborhood.  Studies show that dog fighting and gang activity with illegal drugs and weapons all go hand in hand.  Neighborhoods where these dogs are housed and trained also need to worry if one of these dogs ever gets loose on the street.  Dogs trained to fight and kept in homes by their trainers have been known to viciously attack infants and small children living there as well.  

IN THE END…

When all is said and done…and the training and fighting have ended…and law enforcement has arrested those involved…the dogs continue to suffer.  Whether they now spend time caged in a shelter held as evidence…or their future rests on whether they can pass a temperament test…the dogs are still the losers.

Current Putnam County SPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officers have extensive backgrounds in the investigation of Dog Fighting. We have seen signs of dog fighting in urban areas, suburban areas, and even rural areas. No matter where you live, there is a possibility this may be happening near you. If you suspect there is dog fighting going on anywhere in Putnam County please contact us 24/7 at our Animal Cruelty Hotline - 845-520-6915