Introduction
Dog fighting is a cruel blood sport in which dogs are made to fight each other in an enclosed pit for entertainment and gambling. These dog fights are brutal and often last until one dog dies or is severely injured. Spectators bet on which dog will win, treating the animals like sports equipment rather than living beings. This inhumane activity persists as an underground practice despite being banned in all 50 states.
History of Dog Fighting in the US
The origins of dogfighting in the United States can be traced back to the blood sports of bull baiting and bear baiting that were popular in Europe in the 1800s and early 1900s. When immigrants came to America, they brought these violent practices with them.
Dogfighting quickly grew in popularity, with large operations and traveling competitions popping up across the country. Wealthy individuals would breed dogs specifically for fighting, training them from birth to be vicious in the ring. The dogs were often chained, starved, beaten, and tortured to make them as aggressive as possible. Fights were held in secretive pits, with spectators gambling on the outcome.
By the late 1800s, dogfighting had spread from urban centers into more rural areas, becoming a favorite pastime in many parts of the country. The practice thrived well into the 20th century, with dogfighting magazines and “how to” manuals promoting the blood sport as a demonstration of American ruggedness and masculinity.
Making Dog Fighting Illegal
Dog fighting has been banned in all 50 states for decades, though the practice has continued illegally. Early anti-cruelty laws began passing in the late 1800s which made certain acts of animal cruelty illegal. However, these laws were not extensively enforced when it came to dog fighting. The Federal Animal Welfare Act of 1966 more explicitly prohibited the staging of dog fights for entertainment. This federal law inspired many states to strengthen their own anti-cruelty laws regarding dog fighting.
By the 1970s, dog fighting was prohibited in all 50 states. However, the penalties for violating these laws remained relatively minor in most states, making enforcement still a challenge. Gradually, states have increased penalties for dog fighting activities. Today it is a felony in all 50 states to stage a dog fight, own fighting dogs, train fighting dogs, and bet on dog fights, though the exact laws and penalties vary between states. While outlawed nationwide, dog fighting continues illegally due to challenges in enforcement.
Dog Fighting Today
Despite being outlawed decades ago, dog fighting still persists across many parts of the United States today. It is a highly secretive underground practice, with dog fights taking place in seemingly innocent locations like barns, warehouses, basements, garages, backyards, abandoned buildings and even homes. There are underground communities and networks dedicated to organizing events, breeding and training fighting dogs, and gambling on the outcomes.
Hot spots for dog fighting include major urban centers such as Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York City. However, dog fighting also thrives in rural areas and small towns, where secluded locations allow events to more easily fly under the radar. Law enforcement regularly uncovers dog fighting operations across the country, rescuing abused animals and making arrests. However, for each operation busted, many more continue undiscovered.
Advocates estimate tens of thousands of people are involved in the underground subculture of dog fighting in America today. The secrecy of the events, use of guarded language and coded messages, and large amounts of cash wagered on fights make them difficult to detect and stop. Though dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, the profitability and underground nature of this blood sport continue to perpetuate it across many parts of the United States.
Why Does Dog Fighting Persist?
Although dog fighting is illegal and widely condemned in the United States, it continues for several reasons. Perhaps the biggest is the potential for significant profits from gambling on the fights. Because the activity is driven underground, wagering large sums of money on the outcomes of dog fights is a major incentive for owners and organizers. In addition, there is a status and reputation gained in underground circles for owners and breeders of dogs that are successful in fighting. The fights themselves and the conditioning required to prepare the dogs for combat are considered valuable tests of strength and gameness by those involved in the subculture of dog fighting.
Another key factor that enables dog fighting to persist is that it is difficult to detect and prosecute effectively. Law enforcement faces challenges in infiltrating underground dog fighting rings and gathering solid evidence needed for convictions. The events often take place in remote rural areas or vacant inner city warehouses. Lookouts, security measures, and coded language are used to avoid raids by authorities. Since dog fighting is a clandestine organized crime, it requires time, money, and dedicated investigations to take down dog fighting operations. Enforcement has improved, but many fights still take place in secret.
Effects on Dogs
The effects of dog fighting on the dogs forced to participate are severe. Dogs used in fighting suffer extreme physical trauma, including deep puncture wounds, broken bones, blood loss, dehydration, hyperthermia, as well as behavioral damage. Matches result in excessive injuries, and wounded animals are often denied veterinary care. Competing dogs are often pit bulls or other bully breeds who are specifically bred and trained to fight, resulting in generations of animals being abused.
The dogs endure ongoing suffering, both from their injuries and the cruel training methods. They are socialized to be aggressive and are deprived of normal interaction. Many dogs develop animal aggression making adoption impossible. Those rescued from fighting often require extensive behavior modification for any chance of living normally as companion dogs. The trauma also leads to corresponding psychological damage and unstable temperaments.
Sadly, the systemic physical and psychological harm means most dogs rescued from fighting rings cannot be saved. Their behavior issues combined with the public safety risk from their training means euthanasia is often the most humane option. Approximately 55% of fighting dogs are ultimately euthanized, even after efforts at rehabilitation by animal welfare groups. The cruelty of dog fighting thus not only abuses the animals during their lives, but often ends up destroying them as well.
Efforts to Stop Dog Fighting
There have been significant efforts to stop the cruel practice of dog fighting in the United States. These efforts have focused on passing stronger laws and enforcement, public education campaigns, and rescuing and rehabilitating dogs used in fighting.
Many states have passed felony-level laws against dog fighting, making it a more serious crime with stricter penalties. These laws make it easier for law enforcement to investigate and prosecute dog fighting operations. There have also been increased efforts by police and animal control agencies to enforce anti-dog fighting laws through raids on dog fighting rings.
Public education campaigns by animal welfare organizations seek to increase awareness about the horrors of dog fighting and encourage the public to report any suspected dog fighting activities. These campaigns underscore that dog fighting is an unacceptable form of animal cruelty.
Many animal shelters and rescue groups work to rehabilitate dogs rescued from fighting operations. Despite being subjected to abuse, most dogs used in fighting can be retrained and rehomed as pets or therapy dogs with proper care and socialization. Giving these dogs a second chance at life disrupts the cycle of dog fighting.
The Link to Other Crimes
Dog fighting has strong ties to other crimes such as drug trafficking, weapons dealing, and gang activity. Many illegal dog fighting operations are run by gangs or organized crime outfits. They use dog fighting events as a front for conducting other criminal business like selling guns and drugs.
Gangs and drug traffickers are often attracted to dog fighting because of the large amounts of cash betting that goes on at fights. There is no paper trail or regulation, making it easy to launder money. The crowds drawn to dog fights also provide a network to deal drugs and weapons.
In addition, dog fighting operations often rely on a host of other criminal activity including theft of animals, illegal breeding, selling of dogs on the black market, and producing illegal dog fighting videos. There is also extensive gambling associated with the “sport” which relies on an underground betting market.
Dog fighting compounds and kennels are also frequently used for other forms of animal abuse like hog dog fighting (pitting dogs against wild boars) and cattle prodding to bait bulls. The mentality that views violence against dogs as entertainment often goes hand-in-hand with other forms of cruelty against animals.
Progress and Challenges
While dog fighting has declined significantly since the mid-2000s, it still remains a prevalent underground activity. Quantifying the exact level of activity is difficult, as these criminal networks operate in secretive and elusive ways. However, experts estimate hundreds of thousands of dogs across the country continue to be used in dog fighting each year.
Major progress has been made through legislation, law enforcement crackdowns, public education campaigns, and advocacy groups dedicated to eradicating the practice. Yet more work remains to be done. Resources for enforcement and investigation continue to be limited, making it difficult to infiltrate the underground networks and put an end to dog fighting events.
Stopping the cruelty of dog fighting requires persistent and coordinated efforts on all fronts. From legislation and prosecution to rescue and rehabilitation of abused animals, a comprehensive approach is needed. Only through continued vigilance and commitment from lawmakers, law enforcement, animal welfare groups and the general public can we hope to eliminate the scourge of dog fighting and its associated animal cruelty from our society.
Conclusion
In summary, dog fighting has a long history in the United States, dating back to colonial times. While dog fighting has been banned nationwide since the 1970s, this brutal blood sport persists in both rural and urban areas across the country. Though the reasons vary, those who engage in dog fighting are often motivated by money, entertainment, maintaining a violent subculture, or preying on vulnerable animals.
Dogs forced to fight endure extreme cruelty and suffering, including violent training regimens and severe injuries in the ring. Animal welfare groups continue working to raise awareness about dog fighting and shut down fighting operations through legislation, investigation and prosecution. While progress has been made, dog fighting networks can be secretive and difficult to infiltrate. Therefore, vigilance and proactive efforts are still needed to combat this illegal activity and protect dogs from harm.
Though banned decades ago, dog fighting continues to persist in the shadows. Ongoing efforts are necessary to enforce laws, prosecute offenders, rescue abused animals, and ultimately eradicate dog fighting in America once and for all.
