U.S. House Renews Efforts to Combat Animal Fighting

Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 11:00am
Dog in cage

Great news, animal advocates! Yesterday U.S. Reps. Tom Marino (R-PA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), John Campbell (R-CA) and Jim Moran (D-VA) reintroduced the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, an ASPCA-supported bill to strengthen our federal laws against animal fighting.

While it’s already a federal crime to actively participate in an animal fight, it’s the spectators who drive the enterprise and make it profitable. This bill would make it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and impose additional penalties for bringing a child to a fight.

The Senate passed this bill in the previous Congress, but even with over half the House in support, Congress was unable to pass a final bill. Reintroducing this bill in the early days of the new Congress gives us an opportunity to build on the momentum from the last Congress and help finally close the federal loophole for animal fighting spectators.

Ask your own House representative to support this important humane legislation! Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center right now to quickly email your U.S. rep in Washington and urge him or her to cosponsor the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act.

Tags: 
Advocacy
Animal Cruelty
Dog Fighting
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Comments

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 15:38 — Maria pedone (Visitor)
Stop the fighting and save these babies!!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 15:45 — Sharon Kedik (Visitor)
Please stand behind this bill and make all who contribute to this horrible and cruel practice accountable! This is the only way it will end!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 15:59 — AL (Visitor)
If I could legislate penalties for anyone who owned or watched any kind of animal or bird fighting they would be penalized the same as what they were being charged with.Throw them in a ring with pit bulls.This new law would be retroactive.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:44 — Tucker (Visitor)
THROW ALL THE A HOLE HUMANS IN A RINK AND LET THEM FIGHT EACH OTHER TO THE END!! ANY WHO SURVIVE GO TO JAIL FOR YEARS!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 16:24 — Joe Jones (Visitor)
Do whatever it takes to stop this crap.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 16:59 — Thomas Limber (Visitor)
Anyone who participates in or attends is a sick f--k! There are also some porn sites that advertise where men go and watch women and me being bound and gaged and sexual abused. Attendees can participate and take pictures. All of these people need lined up in front of a firing squad and put out of their misery!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:07 — rick rossberg (Visitor)
Please help stopping those responsible for dog fighting.Punish all who participate in or watch animal fighting.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:14 — Ashley Rae Colwell (Visitor)
Please support this important humane legislation!!!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:35 — Christine Boehm (Visitor)
Stop this!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:43 — Mary Beth McDonald (Visitor)
I would like to see more action from the ASPCA on the banning of the brutal and inhumane gas chambers as the method of 'euthanasia' in 30 states. 20 states have already banned this horrific method of torture for stray & abandoned shelter pets whose only crime is not having a home. Cats, dogs, puppies, kittens are often forced into crammed cages and fight/claw as they are slowly suffocated, taking as long as 45 minutes. A gruesome fate for a sentient being. Rep. Moran (VA) has written a detailed bill against gas chambers, advocating trained euthanasia by injection. Until we can find homes for them all, we home them a 'good death'. Please be a voice for the voiceless. We cannot continue to look the other way.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:07 — ALLEN GEIGER (Visitor)
G-D BLESS REP. MORAN ! STOP THIS HORRIBLE THING.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 17:49 — Karen (Visitor)
This should not be still an issue!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 18:24 — Mary (Visitor)
If there is noone to watch... there will be no reason to train and abuse those poor trusting dogs. PLEASE, make the restrictions and sentences something that law enforcement can take to court!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 18:28 — Mirjam Dohm (Visitor)
No more fighting!!!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 18:58 — dani (Visitor)
Please, please stop this cruelty. It is heartbreaking! As a nation, we are far past this. It's time for action.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 19:25 — Annika Rusceo (Visitor)
Dogfighting does not belong in a civilized society!! It's cruel and heartless. Only people with no soul would do something like this!!!

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 20:12 — Teri (Visitor)
Supporters are just as bad. You should be ashamed. If no one went it wouldn't happen. Horrible thing to do to an animal

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 20:26 — Michelle Torres (Visitor)
Please stop animal cruelty.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 20:57 — Sharon Meyer (Visitor)
I would like to know how my representatives voted for the effort to combat animal fighting. Iowa...hopefully they voted the correct way this time.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 21:59 — Debbie Robidoux (Visitor)
What is wrong with people! Don't they realize that these animals feel pain? I wish someone could induce some pain on the people who fight dogs and support dog fighting so they can see what it feels like. The penalty for dog fighting needs to be more strict or make it a felony offence with a larger fine.

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 23:35 — Hilda VonGerichten (Visitor)
Stop this horrible treatment of animals-what if it was reversed????

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 00:28 — Esther McDermott (Visitor)
Please help us help them!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 06:23 — carol Scofield (Visitor)
It's 2013 for pete sake let's stop this cruelty once and for all!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 06:34 — Rachel Ng (Visitor)
I am very sad and upset indeed that there is such a so-called 'sport' called Animal Fighting!!!!!!!!!! This should NOT be happening and NEEDS to STOP RIGHT THIS MOMENT!!!!!!! I am begging to please Help ALL Animals in these situations. PUT a STOP to such non-sense and put those who have harmed any Animals (including anyone who was involved in any ways such as capturing the Animals) to jail and give them their well-deserved Punishment!!!!!! JUSTICE Will be brought to those nasty people!!!!!!! Please legislate Many More Laws that Protect the Precious ANIMALS!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP SAVE THE ANIMALS.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:10 — Donna Hanneken (Visitor)
WHY DOES IT TAKE SUCH A LONG TIME TO STOP SOMETHING THIS HORRIFIC? THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DONE DEAL A LONG TIME AGO!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:16 — Debbie (Visitor)
Anybody that is involved in animals fighting should be put in the ring with a murderer or gangbanger.let them know what it feels like. heck, make it pay-per-view. Leave our loving companions alone! Just, as a bull fighter should have to fight the bull, without the bull being speared prior to the fight. A bit of their own medicine so to speak.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:19 — Maria slati (Visitor)
It's about time! Many thanks to those representatives in Congress who took the time to focus on these atrocities to make them a law. I will hope and pray this goes through and becomes law.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:24 — Denise McClain (Visitor)
All those involved with dog fighting need to be slammed with as many laws and as much jail time as humanly possible! The reality is, if someone can hurt an animal or allow animal to be hurt, that same person can just as easily hurt a child with the same total lack of remorse!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:27 — Charlotte R. Wolfe (Visitor)
Just to see the dog posted for this is sad. The poor baby looks sad, scared and unmoved. Please keep trying to end this cruelty. Thank you for caring.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:38 — Tucker (Visitor)
THIS NEEDS TO STOP ONCE AND FOR ALL!! IT IS DISTURBING,SICK AND NEEDS TO GET SERIOUS NOW!! COME ON!! TOUGHER LAWS!! TOUGHER JUDGES!! TOUGHER JAIL TIME AND PUNISHMENTS!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:40 — Tucker (Visitor)
WOOPSIE!! SERIOUS NOT SERIOS!!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:12 — ALLEN GEIGER (Visitor)
AMEN !TOUGH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TOUGHER JUDGES !!!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:44 — Rita Milburn (Visitor)
These are some of the sickest people on this earth, the animal abusers. And to fight dogs in the name of entertainment? I guess you can't fix stupid or ignorant. You probably also can't give heartless S.O.B.'s a heart! Give them "an eye for an eye" type punishment!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:51 — Debra Trader (Visitor)
Eliminating dog fighting may bring down the numbers of people breeding the Pitbull. l ive in a dogfighting area. I know how many are out there! They run these streets. Stiffen ALL animal abuse laws/penalties.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:53 — Mark (Visitor)
Why do we even need to ask our "officials" in Congress to do what is not only humane, but should have been done over 100 years ago!?

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:54 — John (Visitor)
Instead of making laws tuffer for taking your kids to dog fights why in the hell do they let the dog fighting go on..????

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:54 — Elizabeth Wardle (Visitor)
It is inconceivable that someone would gain pleasure, or find intertaining this kind of cruel and inhumane torture of innocent animals. The research shows that serial killers get started by torturing animals. It isn't a sport! It is sick and twisted depravity. There needs to be a clear message to anyone causing such harm....you will go to prison, and you won't come out! And that law needs to be enforced to the letter, no exceptions!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 10:58 — Linda Stephens (Visitor)
It is a terrible crime and any person involved should be in prison and pay heavy fines for their actions. Animals have feelings and are very smart. They can do things humans cannot, they cannot speak however and live to make their moms and dads happy. Every animal including chikens should be stopped. How Michael Vick is back in the NFL and making money playing a game is a crime as well. He should still be in prison with the size of his gaming circle. STOP IT NOW!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:17 — ALLEN GEIGER (Visitor)
VERY GAME MICHAEL VICK APPEARS IN SHOULD BE BOYCOTTED, BUT MONEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN COMPASSION TO SOME PEOPLE. DISGUSTING IS TO GOOD A WORD FOR THAT BARBARIAN.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:03 — Rescie (Visitor)
I have loved and been loved by four wonderful pitbulls. They were the gentliest, sweetest, most loyal buddies anyone could imagine. The idea of making these magnificant beasts fight each other is beyond evil. They just want to be with you, to lean on you, to try and give you kisses and to protect you. The punishment for making these marvelous animal fight should fit the crime. I would love to see years in jail and huge fines with the fines used to rehabilitate the animals that were treated so badly. Please see that something is done and done now.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:21 — Jaime Perez (Visitor)
What is wrong with people anyway? There should never even have been dog fighting in this world to start with. Humans can be so sick and deranged when it comes to animals. They deserve respect and protection. They should never be used for profit or cruel entertainment. Dog fighters and spectators need to be punished and beaten severely!!! Stop all dog fighting NOW!!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:28 — Estelle Silverstein (Visitor)
What is this debate?? Animal fighting needs to be outlawed!! Are we waiting for attendance to trickle down to stop it. That will never happen!!! It needs to be outlawed.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:36 — Rose Baker (Visitor)
Thank you Ma representative for taking action against this cruel action humans take on animals. Now others, like my state NH need to follow suit. End animal cruelty forever that includes dog fighting and puppy mills. Time to treat the offender's like they treat the animals they harm. That would put an end to many cruel offenses.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:40 — Alice Buczek (Visitor)
It shouldn't take so long for Congress to pass an important bill as this. The animals can't speak for themselves and it take people to do that. Fining or jail time for those who attend these fights is good thing and bringing children to these fights just desentizes the next generation. The problem just continues. Keep up all your hard work to help these precious animals. Alice Buczek

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 11:47 — Debra Holloway (Visitor)
Please stop this disgusting, inhumane torturous activity. These animals deserve better from us and did nothing to deserve this treatment. They only want to please their human.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:08 — Marjorie Barton (Visitor)
I know it is rampant in Hawaii especially the Big Island and nobody does anything about it. This is cruel. Nobody stops it All animal fighting should be stopped and all animal cruelty.

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:32 — kristi (Visitor)
Why do they let these people pretty much get away with this shit.and always its the pitbulls fault?if u were beat,straved,etc..u would need to do what they wanted u to do tohoe

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:53 — PAT (Visitor)
IF THIS BILL CAN'T PASS WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ELECTED????

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 12:59 — Lynn Lawrence (Visitor)
Must be STOPPED and the people who do PROSECUTED to the fullest!!!

Fri, 01/25/2013 - 13:07 — crayolabud (Visitor)
I'd like to know why this is still an issue. We have the intelligence to invent computers, medical advancements and yet we still have barbarions enjoying the act of watching loving creatures being tortured. What is wrong with them? I'd like to see our local governments more active in this fight. Talk to the children and ask them to be protectors of animals by letting the school know. Children are smart and sensitive to bullies. Leaders of this féree and great nation, please listen to your conscience and hear our cries (animal fighting, laboratories puppy mills, entertainment) to STOP animal abuse of all kinds today.

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