Sep 13 2008
Dog Fighting as “Entertainment”
Dog Fighting. There are so many reasons that make dog fighting despicable and repulsive–to take an innocent life as a baby pup and to raise it as a killing machine; to deny this animal love and affection, only exposing the dog to aggression, pain, and fear, in order to breed hate and anger into the dog’s heart; to dispose of (kill) any dog that cannot hold its own or to finish off any dog whose nature is not akin to constant fighting and killing; and to depreciate the sanctity of life for the sake of profit.
American Pit Bull Terriers are strong dogs, and it would appear that for this reason, they are the top choice for dog fighting in America. It isn’t fair that a whole dog breed has to be generalized as a “bad” breed because the irresponsible actions of the owners, and worst yet, because people will take advantage of the breed’s qualities (e.g. strength and loyalty to it’s owner) and use it for the ugly blood sport of dog fighting. It is no wonder why pit bulls get such a bad reputation outside of the “ring” and why they become the breed most known in the dog fighting world.
It is so cruel to coerce any animal to undergo a life of inhumane treatment. To even imagine the lengths these dog-fighting owners will go to in order to train and condition their dogs to a life of fighting and aggression is beyond my imagination. It is difficult for me to even research on such topics because I care deeply for all animals and I believe that they have a natural right to experience a quality life that all of us seek. Even though I am horrified over some of the things that I read on animal abuse and cruelty or pictures that I’ve seen, I know that by informing myself on these issues, I become more aware of what’s happening behind closed doors and how I can help. I strongly encourage people who are reading this to do the same.
Some people think dog fighting abuse is just the actual fighting of dogs, but they do not understand that these animals are not just abused in the ring. The abuse is ongoing. A few examples of abuse associated with dog fighting include the following (information provided by the Animal Liberation Front):
“Because of the high degree of dog-to-dog aggression in them, it can be difficult to have fighting dogs mate. Many breeders employ an apparatus to restrain the female during mating to prevent injury to either dog. This is commonly referred to as a “rape stand,” which is a stand used to strap and immobilize female dogs for breeding purposes […]
“The conditioning of fighting dogs may also make use of a variety of legal and illegal drugs, often including anabolic steroids to enhance muscle mass and encourage aggressiveness. Narcotic drugs may also be used to increase the dogs’ aggression and mask pain during a fight. Dog fighters also often accumulate a large assortment of veterinary supplies for pain control and wound management, so that they can avoid trips to a veterinarian. Veterinarians in several states are specifically mandated to report suspected dogfight activity that comes to their attention through treating such animals. One of the ASPCA’s most recent contributions to the field is the recently-published “Veterinary Forensics,” by Dr. Melinda Merck, forensic veterinarian with the ASPCA, which educates veterinarians on how to look for signs of cruelty to the animals brought to their practices.
“Young animals are often trained or tested by allowing them to fight with other dogs while muzzled or leashed in well-controlled “rolls.” Those that show little inclination to fight may be discarded or killed at an early age. Additional experienced is gained through fights with other dogs. Some fighters will use inexperienced “bait dogs” as sparring partners, often using stolen pets. “Professional” fighters claim to abhor this practice since it does not provide the animal with experience that is useful against another experienced fighting dog.
“Although there are many other common techniques used in the training and testing of dogs, these methods vary widely among different fighters and may range from systematic to haphazard. “Street” fighters usually make little investment in conditioning their animals, relying on “quick fixes” to produce aggression. These might starvation, physical abuse, and use of stimulants or other drugs to excite the dogs.”
If you suspect anyone of dog fighting practices, please report it. Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states of the U.S. Please make sure that these laws find its way to the people that deserve to be behind bars. Sadly even after these dog-fighting owners are caught and arrested, sometimes there is little hope for the dogs. These dogs have experienced years of conditioning in fighting since they were puppies, leaving them permanently aggressive and dangerous with each year that passes in that specific environment. Thus, some dogs cannot engage in a life void of dog fighting because they are just too far past the point possible for rehabilitation and deemed unfit to re-enter normal society with other dogs and humans. As such, these dogs are put down, which is extremely unfortunate since it was not the choice of these dogs to become killing machines, but a path chosen by their owners.
This type of animal abuse is not limited to just dogs, but also includes cock fighting and bull fighting. Cock fighting is illegal in 49 states of the U.S. Most people don’t feel as bad about cock fighting compared to dog fighting. Whether it’s because of the size of the animal or not, it is the same principle of depreciating the value of life in any form or shape by manipulating the fate of these animals for money. As for bullfighting, it predominately occurs in Mexico, Spain, and South America, and it involves a fight to the death of either the bull or the matador. Further information can be found in the links listed below.
Again, please help to inform yourself about animal fighting and ways you can help.
Suggested links to visit:
ASPCA: Fight Animal Cruelty - Dog Fighting FAQ
HSUS: The Humane Society of the United States - Dog Fighting
HSUS: The Humane Society of the United States - Dog Fighting Fact Sheet
Animal Liberation Front - Dog Fighting FAQ
CNN.com/US - Dog Fighting a Booming Business, Experts Say
NBC4.com - Police Discover Apparent Dogfighting Training Operation
Shakesville Blog: “Dog fighting is cruelty… It’s not the dog’s fault.”
Animal Fighting: Facts - Bull Fighting, Cock Fighting, and Dog Fighting
HSI: Humane Society International
