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Three Ways to Stop Dog Fighting that Take Three Minutes

Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 11:45am
Dog fighting victim

Dog fighting is a huge problem, and sometimes it can seem that you can’t do much to help as an individual. But there are a few things you can do to stop it now, and we really need your help.

Why? Take it from those of us who have seen dog fighting compounds first-hand: Life as a dog used for fighting is a nightmare.

They live chained up or in a tiny cage. They don’t get the veterinary care they need. They die in the ring or are unceremoniously shot for losing. Some are used as “bait” for other dogs. Some have litter after litter. Some starve. Some go without water for days.

Odds are that dog fighting is happening in your state right now. We need your help to stop it. Give dog fighting victims three minutes of your time?

1. Ask your U.S. representative to support the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act.

The Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on January 23, would make it a federal offense to knowingly attend an organized animal fight and would impose additional penalties for bringing children to animal fights. Violators would face up to one year in prison for attending a fight, and up to three years in prison for bringing a minor to a fight.

You can help the bill along by contacting your rep. We’ve made it easy at the ASPCA Advocacy Center, and we promise it only takes a few minutes, tops.

2. Download our new anti-dog fighting toolkit for citizen advocates.

If you’re as horrified by dog fighting as we are, and you think you might want to commit more time to stopping dog fighting in the near future, download our new toolkit developed with the U.S. Department of Justice. It’s got everything you need to know to get more involved. (We admit, actually reading it will take more than three minutes, but you get the idea.)

3. Fight Pit Bull prejudice via social media.

Pit Bulls and dogs who look like Pit Bulls get a bad rap because of their reputation as fighting dogs. Fight it by becoming a tireless advocate for them on your social networks. Start by posting the profile of a cute, adoptable Pit Bull-type dog on Facebook (we suggest Pet of the Week Champion) or sharing a happy tail about a Pit.

You can even share the story of a rehabilitated ex-fighting dog, like Ninja or Dragon.

Oh, and of course, a bonus fourth thing you can do: Share this post on your social networks.

Easy, right? Together we can make a huge difference, and to the dogs who are suffering right now at the hands of fighters, it means the world.  

To learn about a few more ways to fight back against blood sports, view our 10 ways to help end dog fighting and get educated about the issue on our dog fighting page.

On behalf of the dogs, thank you!

Comments

Dog fighting is disgusting, using dogs to fight till the death all for some money its sick and should be stopped, maybe if the owners want so much money maybe they should go fight

People who participate in any kind of animal fighting are promoting abuse and violence. No living creature should ever be hurt at the hands of anouther. It's just not right and makes this world a bad scary place!

The dog fighters,people who attend should get more than just a year in jail.I say put them thru what the poor dogs go thru!! Better yet,turn them over to the pet owners who they stole the dogs from.Let them give them the justice that they have coming to them!!Jail is just too good for them!!They need the pet owners justice given too them!!

I posted a youtube video as a response and got lots of views, you should try this it's easy too :-)

Dog fighting is cruel and inhumane. Dogs feel fear and pain too

Dog fighting is so felony wrong.

Please give hard prison time to the ones responsible fro dog fight

The time to stop,forever,this disgusting behavior is long over due.

Our lawmakers need to make this crime a felony. They need to make ALL cruelty to animals a felony.

stop this !! let them fight themselves - not these poor animals that hav no choice - it's beyond cruel and inhuman - STOP IT !!!!!!!!

The consecuenses are not enough. Until this criminals know that they will end in jail for at least ten years, they are going to continue with this crime. CHANGE THE LAW but finish with this mental retarded torture!!!!

All dogs and all animals need to be treated with love, kindness, proper care and dignity same as human beings.

This must stop. We are these animals voices. The punishment that Micheal Vick paid, should apply to ones promoting these fights and the crowds that come to watch. They all should pay heavy fines, do jail time and do community service for animal shelters taking care of animals that were used in these terrible games.

Law makers must make animal all fighting as well animal abuse a felony making the 1st offense an automatic 10 year prison term. If the punishment is unavoidable people will not risk it. We must stop being so soft on people that have little value in the world.

This horrible blood sport needs to be stopped now! No dog deserves to be treated in such a cruel manner. People who engage in this gruesome "sport" need to be punished beyond the maxium.

I do not understand why heartless & cruel people do this. I feel so sorry for the dogs & it makes me sick & so angry that people do this. They deserve punishment big time.

Harsher criminal sentences would be a start.

Our government lawmakers and local police need to work together to crack down on any and all people who abuse animals. Animal fighting of any kind should have a zero tolarance law. Automatic jail time , no early release for good behavior.

It is about time all animal abusers serve jail time and are forced to do community service. It is disgraceful to let them go back to their lives with no repercussions. Animal abuse is too disgusting to dignify. It is time to put a legally enforced stop to it.

Fighting any kind of dogs is beyond wrong!! They don't have a voice to say NO!! But we do have voices!! We all need to stand up for these dogs! We need to make it to where if someone is caught dog fighting or even caught at a dog fight, they should be punished to the FULLEST EXTENT of the law!! No more of this "slap on the wrist" stuff!! Dogs are just furry little people!! They need our help!!!!

This Act is long long long overdue! Dog fighting, cock fighting and whatever else people might decide to fight in the future needs to stop! If they get charged with a federal offense maybe it will knock some sense into them and they will stop doing this to these animals. I truly truly hope this bill passes, and I have emailed my Congressman and I will be sure to follow this story.

I think that the main animal organizations which have mikkions of dollars should have a public campaign and offer $10,00 to anyone who turns in a dog fighting ring that actually goes to trial and is convicted and the dogs released to rescue. That will be the way to get to the people who can lead us to the criminals and the locations of the fighter. Money talks and it will talk to people in the know. It is a worthwhile way to spend the money that animal lovers donate to really help dogs.

To all the people that are involved in dog fighting you disgust me and all the other people out there that would agree with me if you are caught doing this u should be thrown in the slammer and get the same treatment as you gave those dogs. Theses dogs can not talk or tell u what's wrong but when u look into there eyes you would know there is something wrong and they are looking at you tell you they need H E L P so if you see any animal being miss treated please look into it you will be saving there lives!!!!!!!

I say put all the people who are responsible in dog fighting and ship them over to the middle east and fight them

This is wrong! People who get a thrill off of animals fighing are serial killers budding. I can't see how anyone can get a thrill over this. Just because they can't talk to you doesn't man they have no feelings. All my pets are family they're treated like my kids

Please stop the do fighting

Please do not continue to hurt these precious angels! They are God-sent and deserve to be treated with respect! If not love!

Cruelty to animals, means cruelty to humans.

never try to abuse animals again, basterds!!!

We have a sister and brother pitbull pair and they are wonderful pets. They are loyal, loveable and so entertaining to watch. They are always so happy to see us when we come home. They are such wonderful and beautiful members of our family.

Please take the time to be their voice, if not u, who will fight for them?

It's 2013. When will the decent people of our world finally end the rights of Violent criminals? All violence against good people should be severely punished. However, there should be a clear distinction between violent crimes against good people, and violence against pure innocence. The only pure innocent life on earth is animals and young children. Any person that brings intentional harm to a young child or animal needs to be permanently removed from society and even put to death, which would be my choice. We can do this people! The time is now!

I love my pits and I can't see there sweet faces fighting. The people that fight dogs should have one of there dogs latch down on an arm or a leg for a whole minute. After that throw there ass in jail!!!

The poor gorgeous dogs don't have a choice how cruel a person can be , to put these gorgeous animals thru such torture . Put these cruel human beings in the middle and give them a taste of what they are putting there beautiful animals thru

I live in Australia, where we have the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and I was wondering if anyone knew if there were dog fights in Australia. If you do, please reply and tell me what you found out, because I'm going to take matters into my own hands..

Make dog fighting a federal offense carrying 25 yrs.imprisomment. Maybe that might make these "humans" think twice.

we are to love al things great and small

As a Pitbull lover and as a Parent that just lost my baby boy of almost 14 years...that is what my Pitbull boy was to me "My Baby". He was the sweetest and loved to be so spoiled as he was...he ruled our home and our hearts! I just cannot understand how cruel humans can be to these dogs and it is so unfair to label Pitbulls as dangerous, as bad dogs, when in fact they are very loving dogs! I will support any law and all laws that will stop Dog Fighting...this must stop...NO MORE DOG FIGHTING AND JAIL TIME FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS NOT JUST THE PERPETRATORS!

It has to stop!!!

They want to figth. They should get in a ring with a professional boxer and see what it is like. It should be illegal and people caught participating in any way should be charged. It is a sport for little minds. BAN IT NOW.

People need to speak out regarding the totally unacceptable practice of abusing and neglecting ALL animals.

Please let,s stop this totally inhumane act and end the totally needless suffering of these innocent animals, who cannot speak for themselves...Perhaps we should put the owners in the rings !

I cringe when I read or hear about a dog fighting story. I believe that whom ever is responsible for the death of helpless dogs should be put in a ring with others of their kind. Then they can fight each other until one of them is unresponsive. Or we can treat them like they treated their dogs...leave them in a small cage with no food or water.

Wisconsin DNR Proposes Allowing Packs of Dogs to “Train” On Wolves. STATE SPONCERED DOG /WOLF FIGHTING.THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO SEE IT! http://dnr.wi.gov/About/NRB/2013/February/02-13-2B1.pdf GO READ IT.. PLEASE! Essentially the DNR document that outlines this disgusting proposal uses hearsay from bear hounders and their propaganda to justify what they will be doing to wolves. They even contradict themselves numerous times while openly admitting that bear hounders broke the law by “accidentally” “trailing” wolves when they were and endangered species. To sum up what the document allows: No breed restrictions will be in place. This means that hounders can choose breeds specifically bred to fight wolves to pit against them. This is perfectly fine according to the DNR because Wisconsin has a “law” that makes it illegal to kill wild animals with dogs. And we know how honest bear hounders are. No leashes will be required. This is because we all know just how difficult it would be for the hounder to have to leave the comfort of their vehicle to actually observe their vicious dog packs terrorizing wildlife. The DNR then talks about how hard it would be for the hounder to “harvest the animal humanely” if they have to keep their dogs on a leash. As we all know they are such humanitarians and care so much about the pain and suffering they inflict on wildlife. DNR will trust hounders to teach other hounders how to go after wolves with no certification required because the DNR has no “expertise” in this area? Really? So how are they expected to “enforce” what they have no knowledge of? No restrictions about where hounders can let their dogs run rampant in wolf habitat. Remember that hounders will be allowed to let their packs of vicious dogs run completely unsupervised through wolf, bear, and other wildlife habitat during times that coincide with bear hibernation. Whose to say that hibernating bears will not be harassed or even killed by these packs of vicious dogs? The DNR obviously doesn’t care. Finally they want to allow hounders to “train” their dogs on wolves with no restrictions right through the breeding, denning, and birthing seasons until the end of March. When pregnant females need to be preparing for the birth of their litters they will be harassed or even attacked by unlimited packs of vicious dogs. The fine print reads that they can “only” use packs of “six” dogs at a time to “train”but that they can switch out to new packs of dogs if the original pack gets tired. So essentially unlimited dogs will be allowed to go after wolves during this very sensitive time. The DNR even has the gall to call this a “reasonable fair-chase restriction.” And here are the few “restrictions” the DNR will be placing on hounders: Hounders cannot go after wolves at night. How generous of them. Hounders cannot be reimbursed for dogs killed by wolves while hunting or training against wolves. But of course nothing stops a hounder from claiming that they were “hunting coyotes” so they can get that nice fat $2500 check for their “beloved” dog. In this document the DNR even goes so far as to repeat the bear hounder propaganda about how much they “care” about their dogs. The DNR will trust hounders to “call off” their dogs when they think there are more than “1 or 2″ wolves in the vicinity. Of course how can they “call them off” when they are sitting in their trucks and the dogs are running rampant through the woods? The the DNR brags about how there were “only” 11 dog “depredations” in 2012. They claim that hounders are being more “careful” about where they let their dogs run. That’s funny considering now they are going to now pit those very same dogs that they claim to “care” for up up against wolves in the same areas. Remember one of the reasons Rep. Scott Suder (R-ALEC) and his anti-wolf allies claimed for the the wolf kill bill was that wolves were “decimating” hunting dogs. Now the DNR refutes that. Wow. Finally, hounders can use radio receiving devices to “track” their dogs but can’t use those same devices to seek out radio collared wolves. Of course again we all know how “honest” and “ethical” hounders are. Then we have the DNR even going so far as to claim that it has been “legal” to “train” dogs against wolves since they were delisted on January 27, 2012. Really? At this time the wolf kill bill had not even passed and wolves were not considered a “game” species yet. So according to the DNR hounders could legally put their dogs up against wolves from the day they were removed from the ESA list? So does this mean hounders can “train” their dogs against any “non-game” species that they want with no restrictions? Then the DNR points out that hounders have let their dogs “unintentionally” chase wolves for years even when they were under federal protection. This is ok? Do these sadists have any rules they are required to follow? Then we have the quote of all quotes. If you are drinking anything swallow it before reading this: “We have strived to base our season on science, social desires, and regulations that are reasonable, practical, and acceptable.” Reasonable, practical, and acceptable to whom? The only ones who find this abomination to be acceptable and reasonable are the bear hounders, their puppets in the DNR, and legislature. There is nothing “science” based about allowing packs of vicious dogs to go after wolves with almost no restrictions. When even the wolf hating states out west do not allow this that tells you something. Wisconsin is the ONLY state that allows this insanity and has the gall to call it “science.” And this garbage about “social desires” is just that, garbage. These anti-wolf zealots will never be satisfied as long as on free wolf is allowed to live. I have it from well placed sources that many within the DNR do not at all agree with the Stepp/Thiede propaganda and their zeal for allowing doges to go after wolves, but they are afraid to speak out. They need to speak out or this is only going to get more extreme and sadistic if that is even possible. It is also shameful the the Department of Interior under “Cowboy Ken” Salazar has allowed plans like Wisconsin’s to be implemented unchecked. So much for that “five year monitoring” they claim to have in place. This also falls on President Obama who should be ashamed that this is happening under his watch. So much for being a “Progressive.” The HSUS better use this document as a focal point of their lawsuit to prove this is nothing more than an eradication/revenge hunt to placate bear hounders and anti-wolf zealots. We must also be fully involved by attending the Spring Election of the “Conservation Congress” in each of our counties on April 8th. There will be several “advisory” questions about the use of dogs against wolves. We must mobilize ethical hunters and living wildlife advocates to attend and vote for proposing a law to ban the use of dogs against wolves, and vote against the various anti-wildlife proposals being offered. The DNR continues to spit in the face of anyone who cares about wolves and wildlife and it is up to us to stop them. No more apathy, the time is now to step up and take our wildlife and wild lands back from the bear hounders/trappers and their sadistic allies. The DNR can no longer use the veil of “science” to justify their pandering to the most sadistic and anti-wildlife groups out there.

Stop dog fighting now!

Fighting dog fighting is a multi-faceted problem. It doesn't start and stop with the dog fighters, spectators, legislation, or enforcement. It also depends on prosecutors doing their jobs and supporting the efforts of legislators and enforcement officers in putting dog fighters and spectators behind bars with the maximum sentences imposed!

Politicians are sensitive to public exposure. I'm not very familiar with HSUS but they rank politicians according to how the politician votes on animal issues. Many politicians (for example, King) get a zero (absolute lowest). Maybe a bumper sticker showing the politicians rating might encourage them to raise their ranking.

The dogs arent' bad, it is the so called owners who make them "bad".

Forgot to mention shooting all those who fight dogs. I would have absolutely NO problem w/ a double barrel and a dog fighter

Shame on all of the filthy people that fight and murder these animals.

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