Which States Prohibit Dog Fighting?

Dogfighting is illegal in all 50 states. The practice began as a spectator bloodsport, possibly as far back as the early 1200s. According to National Public Radio, when the Romans invaded Britain in 43 A.D., both armies used fighting dogs. The dogs belonging to the British soldiers won because of their intense ferocity. Pit bulls came into being by mixing these British fighting dogs with bulldogs, dogs bred and trained to take down bulls by the rings in their noses.

  1. History of Dog Fighting

    • Dog fighters will crop their dog's ears without anesthesia, a practice that is criminal animal abuse

      Fighting dogs were brought to the United States shortly before the Civil War. The pitting together of two dogs to incite a fight (hence the name, pit bull), quickly became a betting and spectator sport. Pit bulls were bred by crossing the English bulldog with larger dogs, such as the Rottweiler or Mastiff.

      By the 1860s the idea of bloodsport was fast becoming unpalatable to Americans who began to see how inhumane the activity was. The ASPCA was being founded by Henry Bergh to stop the abuses of carriage horses. But the legislation he was fighting for prevented the abuse of all animals, and so dogfighting became illegal first in New York state. Because police officers were regulars at dogfighting events, Bergh fought for powers of arrest for humane officers and so the ASPCA, to this day, has humane officers who can arrest animal abusers.

    States Laws

    • 47 of the 51 dogs seized from Michael Vick, the famous quarterback who was convicted of felony animal abuse, were rehabilitated and adopted into new homes.

      Some states, such as Florida, have gone even further. Not only is engaging in dog fighting against the law, but so is owning the equipment for fighting and baiting dogs, such as dog-fitted treadmills, veterinary supplies and heavy chains. Owning or leasing property used for staging animal fighting is also a felony, as is attending a dog fight. Florida Statute 828.122 also states that "any person who knowingly commits any of the following acts commits a felony of the third degree..."(ref 2)

    Penalties

    • The American pit bull is loyal, friendly and intelligent. They make excellent companions.

      Felonies have degrees. For example, in Illinois, simply attending a dogfight is a "Class 4 felony for a first violation. A second or subsequent violation of subsection (g) of this Section is a Class 3 felony." Changes were made in Alaska's animal abuse laws in 2010 to include animal fighting as a Class C felony. For a list of states and their animal anti-cruelty laws, including animal fighting, see the resources. In addition, a myriad of other crimes are associated with dog fighting such as illegal gambling, firearms charges, illicit drugs, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and possession of dog fighting paraphernalia.

    Tip Line

    • Pit bulls are not born with anger issues, their owners turn them into fighting machines.

      According to John Goodwin, Director of Animal Cruelty Policy for the Humane Society of the United States, dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states. Says Goodwin: "Dogfighting ... leaves tens of thousands of our canine friends maimed or dead. This should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Other reasons dog fighting should be illegal is because it induces a culture of fear in the community. The elderly woman who is afraid to walk to her mailbox, the child who is afraid to play in the front yard, and the woman who fears walking her dog on the sidewalk, all of whom fear attack by loose pit bulls, are victimized by dogfighting activities. Furthermore, children who are exposed to animal abuse at a young age are liable to grow up to repeat the cycle of violence. Virtually every serial killer in history had a history of animal abuse.

      The HSUS has a hotline for people to use if they want to report suspected animal fighting. The HSUS investigates and prosecutes every tip that comes in through the tipline and offers a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those engaged in bloodsports and animal fighting.