The Effects of Dog Fighting

Dog fighting is a cruel contest in which two dogs are placed in a pit or pen. They usually fight to the death or until the one of them can no longer go on. Each dogfight last about an hour, sometime longer. Dog fighting is illegal in all fifty states, and a felony charge in most.

  1. Scars

    • Dogs who survive or win a fight usually can be identified as a fighter by the severe scarring on their faces and bodies. They also carry emotional scars and trauma. A dog trained to fight is very aggressive and cannot be rehabilitated.
      Dogs who are taken into custody from a fight ring raid are put to death due to the emotional trauma. Rescued fighting dogs are labeled unsafe to be around families and are not put up for adoption at the local animal shelter.

    Death

    • Fight dogs usually sustain severe bruising, broken bones, torn ears, and skin. Many die from loss of blood, exhaustion, infections, dehydration, and shock. Wounds from fighting usually go untreated and the dog will die within a few hours or days once the fight has finished.

    Owners

    • Dog owners fight dogs due to the high amount of income that can be made from winning or even betting on a fight. At any given time, $20,000 - $30,000 can be put on the table for a single fight. Dog owners convicted of fighting dogs are charged with felonies in most states. These convictions lead to prison time up to five years in most states and fines of $10,000 or more.

    The Authorities

    • Dog fights usually involve other illegal activities, such as gambling, weapons, and drugs. The ASPCA provides training to animal control officers, police officers, and veterinarians on identifying signs of animal cruelty and dog who has been put into fighting. The ASPCA also helps in the prosecution of those charged with dog fighting.