Dog Fighting

Introduction

Dog fighting is illegal in countries including the UK and US. Unfortunately, that does not stop it happening, it just happens in secret.

In the fight, the dogs are badly wounded, suffering heavy bleeding, ruptured lungs, broken bones, and other life threatening injuries. If the losers of these matches do not die of their injuries, they are tortured to death for humiliating their owners.

The only rare exception is if the owners feel the dogs are worth trying to salvage because they make them money.

Where Does Dog Fighting Happen?

Most people think “Dog Fighting doesn’t happen around here” because they haven’t seen or heard about it.

It happens everywhere, probably in your town or city, but because it is a secretive, underground activity, only people involved in it know exactly when and where each fight takes place.

Image: This dog has had his nose, lips and some of the skin on his face ripped off. They are unlikely to receive any veterinary attention and, as with many dogs with fighting injuries, may die a slow, painful death from the resulting infection. Source

There Are International Networks

It is practiced all over the world. There are national and international networks of people interested in this cruel activity.

Websites and publications are dedicated to the subject and are available to people within the dog fighting community.

In some countries, the practice is widely accepted and considered entertainment for the whole family.

Image: This dog, forced in to fighting, was rescued along with 50 others from a dog fighting ring. Source

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Breeds Used In Fights

The breeds most commonly used in fighting tend to be Pit Bulls, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and American Pit Bull dogs, Modern American Bulldogs, American Bull Terriers, or mixes/cross breeds related to those breeds.

Dog Fighters have to put in a lot of effort to train their dogs to fight, as naturally these dogs are gentle, loving, affectionate, tolerant breeds. Although these are the usual breeds used, other breeds have been known to be used.

Bait dogs, which are dogs used for fighting dogs to practice on, tearing them apart, can be any breed.

They are often stolen family pets, obtained from adverts where they are offered free, or at a low price.

Image: Pit Bulls and Staffordshire Bull Terriers are nick-named “Nanny Dogs” because of being so good with children. Source

Why Are These Breeds Used In Fights?

They are used because they are strong and muscular, with strong jaws, they are extremely loyal and gentle to humans, and very eager to please them, even if it means enduring high levels of pain.

This means they are easy to train in whatever way the human wants, without fear of their dog hurting them.

Dog fighters know that if trained to do so, these dogs can do a lot of damage.

Image: The dog breeds used are very loyal to humans and and will go through a lot of suffering to try to please their owners. Their unscrupulous owners exploit this to the maximum. Chester is the tragic face of dog fighting.

Why Do Dogs Fight If They Do Not Want To?

Dogs are forced by their owners to fight each other. They are too frightened to disobey their owner for fear of the punishment they receive if they do. They are also fighting to survive against the other dog who is doing the same thing.

The breeds used are fiercely loyal to humans and will try their best to please their owner and to avoid often fatal and prolonged torture from them for disappointing them. They will go through extreme pain in a fight to try to achieve this.

Image: This is dog fighting victim Gypsy with drainage tubes in her face due to the severity of her facial injuries. Parts of the skin left on her face was rotting and falling off and she had also had a leg completely torn off.

The Breeds' Loyalty & Eagerness To Please Makes Them Perfect Victims

Because of these breeds’ eagerness to please their owner, they are perfect for unscrupulous people to exploit, abuse and train in whatever way they wish.

Ignorant people then blame the dogs for their behaviour, not acknowledging that their owner’s treatment of them and all their training is responsible.

“It has nothing to do with the size or the breed. It has to do with who is behind the dog.” – Cesar Milan

Image: Cesar with his late Pit bull Daddy. Source

How Are Dogs Made In To Fighting Dogs?

The dogs are administered drugs to make them more aggressive and muscular, and are also put through specialised rigorous training regimes to build muscle and encourage aggression.

This is usually done from when they are innocent, wide eyed puppies, unaware of what horrors lie in store for them. The dogs are usually bought for the purpose of fighting, and are often bred for that purpose too.

Image: A gang member got these puppies solely to earn him money being torn apart in dog fights. He is already making them wear heavy chains around their necks to begin building their strength. These innocent pups know nothing of the horrors they will have no choice but to face. Source

This Abuse Leads To Victimisation Of Whole Breeds

This abuse and purposeful negative training of dogs leads to certain breeds being unfairly labelled as dangerous dogs.

This then results in whole breeds being made illegal and put to death because breed specific legislation is brought in. BSL is already enforced in many places, including the UK, and is a constant threat everywhere. See the breed specific legislation page for more details.

This means millions of loving, gentle pets that have done nothing wrong, are taken from their heart broken families and put to death. It does not matter if they are the most gentle pet in the world, because as long as they are considered to be a certain ‘dangerous’ breed, they are condemned to death. It can be compared to racism and genocide in humans.

Image: Pit Bulls are wonderful with people and make great therapy dogs. Here, nursing home residents are stroking a typically affectionate Pit Bull. Source

What Happens To Dogs If They Lose Fights?

Despite suffering terrible injuries in the fights trying their best to please their owner, many dogs end up being tortured and killed by their owners who felt they did not do well enough.

Dogs who do not die from their wounds, or are not abandoned somewhere isolated and left to die from their injuries, are punished for humiliating their owners because of not being willing enough or good enough fighters.

This is because the owners/trainers feel the dogs have humiliated them.

Ways fighting dogs that are considered not good enough or “past it” are commonly killed:

• Set on fire and burned alive until dead

• Beaten to death

• Drowned

• Legs, nose, mouth, tail, and ears, etc, hacked off and left to die

• Shot

• Strangled

• Hanged

• Thrown of a high building or cliff

• Stabbed

• Dragged behind a vehicle at high speed, skin friction burned off

• Electrocuted

• Starved to death

 

Image: A victim of the cruel practice of dog fighting. Source

Image: Patrick was found in this starved near-death state, after by chance being found in a rubbish bin. Somebody had hidden him there and left him to suffer a horrible death alone and frightened. Source

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Torture Is Purposely Prolonged & Painful

Many dogs are tortured to death in other barbaric ways – in any way these depraved people can think up. Sometimes when they are injured badly in fights, or tortured by their owners, they are abandoned to die prolonged and agonising deaths, hidden in skips and rubbish bins, or left in abandoned and unused buildings that nobody ever goes in.

If they miraculously survive long enough for someone who cares to find them, they occasionally make it to a shelter or rescue organisation.

Image: Dog Fighting victim Rosie was left for dead on the street with a severed right leg ripped off in a fight.

Image: This victim was sadly found too late.

His Legs, Nose, Mouth, Tail & Ears Hacked Off For Losing Fight

Animal Volunteer Tania Zuback’s Story:

I never knew his name but his presence will be embedded in my soul for the rest of my life. I was called at 2am along with animal control.

A clerk at a 7-11 saw what he thought was a bag of garbage thrown into the parking lot from a speeding pickup.

It was actually a 100lb male Pit Bull Terrier, wrapped in a Red Food store bag. As I unwrapped this bag, a bloody mass that did not resemble anything somehow crawled into my lap and tried to lick me, while whining in a tone hardly to be heard. His ears were cut off, his legs were sawn off, his nose and mouth as well. He appeared just a round ball with the stench of death.

I learned later that this 2 year old dog had lost in a dog fight. His owner had done this. He died in my arms with a look of gratitude. What was left of his bloody tail moved as he took his last breaths.

I also learned he had never been petted, never known a home other than a box in a basement, never been called a good boy or had a toy to play with, never chased a ball or a fly, never been kissed, or known what it felt like to be loved. Still, in this dogs final moment, feeling pain beyond our imagination, with only the forgiveness a dog can hold in it’s heart, he wanted to be loved.

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Their Chances Of Being Adopted Are Low

If a dog has been a dog fighting victim, just about nobody will give it a chance of a home. People are too frightened that the dog fighters influence on them may have damaged them too badly and don’t fully trust them. These dogs chances of ever feeling love are extremely low. Most are put to death having only ever felt pain and neglect.

Breeds commonly used as fighting dogs are abandoned in huge numbers because of irresponsible owners and dog fighters.

They are hard to re-home thanks to these irresponsible owners, who train them to be intimidating, giving them an undeserved bad reputation.

Tragically, the majority of these dogs that do end up in shelters are euthanised when they do not find a home within the time limit due to that undeserved bad reputation.

In the US, that can be as little as a couple of days, in the UK, seven days.

Image: This is a dog that was rescued from dog fighters who were starving him. He was assessed and put up for adoption. Like so many others, nobody wanted him within the time limit, so he was put to death.

He never got the chance to feel love. This happens to the majority of dogs rescued due to not enough people adopting – especially breeds commonly victims of this barbaric act. Source

Image: This is Chance, one of the very few lucky ones who got adopted and got a chance to feel what it is like to be loved, instead of being put to death, unwanted. Source

Emotional Trauma Of Fighting Dogs

Occasionally, even if the dog gets into a “no kill” shelter, if it has been badly traumatised by the abuse dog fighters have put it through, it may never be emotionally ready to be re-homed.

However, there are far more dogs that do need homes than the rescues and shelters can cope with. That is sadly why the number of perfectly re-homeable, loving dogs that are put to death every year is in the millions.

If you would like to help by giving a pet in need the love they long for, even if it is just fostering one temporarily, you will find lots of information on the Adopting rescue pets page.

If you are only interested in fostering or sponsoring an animal, there is information on the Animal Fostering And Sponsoring page.

If you do decide to help in these ways, please consider the breeds that have trouble finding homes. Many people have the misconception that they are aggressive.

This is due to the type of people who often tend to buy them as puppies with the intention of purposely training them to fight, or be an intimidating, aggressive weapon.

Any breed of dog can be trained to be this way, but the Pit Bull and Staffordshire Bull Terrier type breeds are attractive to these people because of their muscular bodies and their jaw size and strength.

Without the influence of such bad owners, these breeds are loving, affectionate, tolerant, forgiving and gentle dogs.

More information can be found about Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeds and similar dogs on the So Called Dangerous Dogs and Other Overlooked Shelter Pets page.

Image: A young dog with fighting injuries, it’s spirit broken, it’s soul destroyed. Source

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Do Breeds Used In Fights Feel Less Pain?

Some dog fighters, or dog men, as they are often referred to in the US, will argue that fighting dogs do not feel pain as humans or other dogs do.

The fact is that all breeds of dogs share the same nervous system and feel a very similar amount of pain. This system allows them to feel pain very similar to what any human would feel.

Image: This dog fighting victim is so grateful to have been saved from the terrifying, lonely agony of dog fighting, and to have his painful wounds tended to.

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What Is A Bait Dog?

A bait dog is a dog that dog fighters make their fighting dogs practice on. The bait dog is made helpless by having it’s jaw taped shut and it may also be tied down.

These dogs can not defend themselves and are terribly injured or killed. Dog fighters/dog men are known to use cats and rabbits as bait animals too.

Image: Report Dog Fighting. Source

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Where Are Bait Dogs Obtained From?

Dog fighters acquire bait animals in a variety of ways. They steal people’s pets, they respond to “free to good home” adverts, they obtain the animals from pounds, shelters, rescues and other re-homing organisations, and they trap wild and feral animals.

Dogs that are not willing to fight, or good at fighting, are also used as bait dogs.

Aussia was an elderly, 15 year old rottweiler who was stolen from his quiet life in Corry, TA, & tortured to death, thought to have been used as a bait dog. He had what looked like injuries made by fighting dogs and marks where he had been bound at the ankles, meaning he was unable to defend himself. He was then dumped in pond, where he was found dead. His owners are of course heart broken and nobody has been caught.

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How Can I Protect My Pets From Becoming Bait Animals?

Offering any pets Free To A Good Home is always a risk, as studies by animal charities have shown that these animals can often fall in to the wrong hands and suffer terribly as a result.

It is better for animals to be re-homed through reputable rescues who do thorough checks of adopters. If this is not possible, then to minimise the risk, do extensive checks on the people who want to take the pets.

People are often not what they seem and will put up a very respectable front and put on a good act in order to pass assessment.

It is best to keep all animals in the house. When they are in the garden, supervise them at all times, as they could be taken in a blink of an eye.

If you must keep animals in your garden, use security measures to make sure they are as safe there as possible. Make sure your garden is secure so nobody can reach or climb over in to it, or enter it, without you letting them.

There have been many cases of rabbits and other pets being taken from hutches in gardens, even when they have been padlocked. The only really secure option is to keep animals inside.

Never leave your dog outside a shop and do not let your dog out of your sight if outside.

If in your garden, make sure walls/fences/gates are high enough so nobody can climb over them. Also make sure there is a lock on the gate. Cats are more difficult, unless they are house cats, as they like to roam freely. Make sure your pets are micro chipped and wear a tag.

There can be happy endings, though, for even the most maimed bait dogs. When Oogy the Pit Bull was a 16 week old puppy, he was used as a bait dog. Half his head, including his er was bitten off and his jaw partially crushed. He was then thrown in to a cage to bleed to death. He was found and rescued after approximately a week. The vet did not know whether he would make it. Amazingly, he did and ended up very happy with a loving family.

Image: Oogy the former bait dog happy in his forever home. Source

This book, “Oogy: A Dog Only A Family Could Love”, tells his story. You can purchase it here.

Synopsis:In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their beloved terminally ill cat to be put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen–one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue–ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life.

Heartwarming and redemptive, OOGY is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds.

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Why Do People Enjoy Such A Cruel Activity?

A major motivation is trying to make money. It is also very much about gaining status and respect within that community (some people have very uneducated views about respect). Certain people are excited by the violence and bloodiness of this cruel activity and appear to have no conscience.

Some people may argue that dog fighting is a tradition that has taken place for centuries. They may also say that it is part of their cultural heritage and that they enjoy being involved in a community that generations of their family have been involved in.

Tradition is used as an excuse for animal cruelty all over the world. The Festivals Of Animal Torture & Other Countries Cruel Traditions page shows examples of this. However, culture and tradition are no excuse for cruelty.

There is no excuse good enough for animal abuse. People are supposed to have evolved and become more civilised over time. This is not evident in people who are pro-dog fighting.

Image: With money being one of the main motivations of people involved in dog fighting, the Humane Society in the US offers up to $5000 reward for information leading to the prosecution and conviction of dog fighters.

Dog fighting is done so secretively that dog fighters make sure that decent, compassionate people do not know information that could stop them continuing this cruel, blood thirsty activity. Money and status is what these selfish and greedy people care about. They do not care about the dogs’ suffering. Source

What Kind Of People Are Involved?

Dog fighting tends to be associated with poorer areas of society, both urban and rural, less well educated people, and gang members.

People who are involved in dog fighting are often found to be involved in gang related violence, drug dealing, mugging, burglary, selling of stolen goods, assault, prostitution and other criminal activity.

However, people from every walk of life can also be involved. People such as doctors, lawyers, teachers, police officers, judges, even veterinary surgeons.

Not forgetting, of course, celebrities such as Michael Vick. See below for details.

Image: This is Troy Major, an Animal Control Officer. Instead of protecting the animals in his care, he forced the dogs into dog fighting. Source

Image: This is Vet Dr Gary Friederich. He helped support dog fighting and covered it up, instead of protecting the animals involved. Source

Illegal Dog Fighting

Illegal dog fighting is prevalent, although to people who are not involved in it, it does not seem so. This is because this underground activity takes place in secret with only people who ‘need to know’ being informed. The illegal dog fighting community are very careful to protect their own people.

In countries across the world where dog fighting it is not illegal, dog fighting also continues to thrive. The often terrified dogs are forced to fight each other, suffering excruciatingly painful and life threatening injuries.

The loser is often tortured to death, left to die or killed in one of a variety of cruel ways by the owners, or on order of the owners, because they ‘humiliated’ their owner by losing the fight.

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Michael Vick: NFL Star & Dog Fighter

Michael Vick, the famous US NFL player was famously revealed to be involved in illegal dog fighting. He carried out the most sickening cruelty against dogs.

He hanged dogs, watching them flailing and struggling in desperation, choking until they took their last breath, yet he felt nothing. He beat dogs to death, slamming them to the ground with all his strength again and again, shattering their bones as they screamed in agony.

He electrocuted them with car batteries and shot them. He drowned them and felt no compassion or empathy for them as the terrified dogs struggled and flailed about, trying desperately to gasp for breath.

All this was done to the dogs because they were not considered good, brave or willing enough fighters by the illegal dog fighting community.

Vick stole people’s family pets and threw them in with fighting dogs trained to tear them apart. He forced female dogs in to ‘rape stands’ and smashed out the teeth so they could not injure the male dogs they were forced to mate with to produce more puppies for this life of abuse. He did all this over and over with absolutely no feelings towards any of his canine or human victims.

He was convicted because of his part in illegal dog fighting, but was not charged with much of what he actually admitted to. His punishment was incredibly lenient, considering the level of suffering he caused.

Sickeningly, he was then hired back by the NFL team The Philadelphia Eagles to continue his former life of sporting stardom, privilege and luxury, as if he had never had anything to do with illegal dog fighting. Understandably, this caused an outcry from animal rights advocates, and anyone with an ounce of decency, everywhere.

Image: Dog fighter Michael Vick not looking at all remorseful, but actually looking rather pleased with himself in his mugshot, despite having willingly stolen, tortured, hanged, strangled, electrocuted and drowned dogs that failed to perform well when forced to fight in illegal dog fighting. What he did gained publicity because of his celebrity status, but numerous people do the same to dogs in the illegal dog fighting community every day. The vast majority of illegal dog fighting abuse goes unpunished. Source

Michael Vick: What's The Big Deal About What I Did?

Since being caught and convicted for being involved in illegal dog fighting, Michael Vick has made remarks about not understanding why people reacted with such horror to what he did, and not knowing why some people still go on about it now, as if it’s a big deal.

He claims that most people are not bothered about it. At the time, he said he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong, and what he did while involved in illegal dog fighting still seems to be no big deal to him. He has said he wouldn’t change anything about his life apart from shortening the prison sentence he got for torturing & killing numerous dogs, and has said how he is proud of himself. He demonstrates a complete lack of remorse.

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Should Michael Vick Have Got His Luxury NFL Life Back?

Michael Vick is an influential example to young people. It is not a good example to see him cause such horrific suffering to dogs forced in to illegal dog fighting and get off so lightly, being able to return to his former life of wealth and stardom.

If you feel that it is wrong for Michael Vick to have his old life back after his viciously violent and cruel actions to dogs forced in to illegal dog fighting, you can show your feelings by boycotting the NFL, especially the Philadelphia Eagles, and letting them know why. Public pressure works.

Image: Michael Vick illegal dog fighting shame. Despite torturing and killing innocent dogs in horrific ways, he claimed he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong and doesn’t know why some people still go on about in now, as he claims most people aren’t bothered! 

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The Psychology Of Dog Fighters

People who enjoy dog fighting do not see it as cruel. Neither do they see the dogs involved as victims. They see the dogs as athletes, being trained to be the best they can be.

They believe that the dogs get what they deserve: If they do well, they gain respect and higher status. If they disappoint, they have to pay the price for humiliating their owners, trainers and backers, and for causing them to lose status.

The ‘price’ is being tortured and / or cruelly killed, or abandoned to die of their terrible injuries. Their attitude is that there is no place for such dogs in dog fighting.

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How Do Dog Fighters Make Money?

People gamble on a dog to win a fight. Winning dogs are worth a lot of money and people pay high prices to breed off them. There can be a high amount of prize money for the owners of dogs that win fights – up to $100,000.

Owners of dogs that do well can also make money from their training skills and from “consultancy” work. The owners are willing to see their dogs put through agony and ripped apart, all so they can make money.

Image: Dog fighters are happy for their dogs to suffer injuries including wounds such as this in an attempt to gain money and status. Source

Image: The mouth of this dog has been shredded and the it’s ribs are visible through a large hole ripped in its side after being forced in to fighting. Despite being in obvious pain, it still wanted to give kisses to the people who saved it.

Ear Cropping Torture

Dog fighters, or dog men and women, are known to hack off the ears of dogs and puppies, with regular office scissors and no anaesthetic or pain killers.

They believe the dog having no ears for opponents to grab gives their dog an advantage in dog fights. They care nothing for the pain they put the dogs through, or about the infection, etc, that may cause the dog and slow and painful death.

Image: A dog who has had its ears cut off as it is intended to be used for illegal dog fighting. This picture shows the ear area healed after treatment. Source

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Trunking - Another Horrific Way Of Holding Dog Fights

Trunking is a form of illegal dog fighting where a dog is forced to fight for survival against another dog trapped in a closed, dark car boot/trunk while the vehicle is moving.

To drown out the blood curdling noises of agony, loud music is played, unless the car is in a secluded area where there is no need. The losing dead or dying dog is simply thrown on to the side of the road like a piece of rubbish.

Image: The losing dog in the trunking form of illegal dog fighting is thrown away to die, if not already dead. Source

Huge Numbers Of Children Exposed To Dog Fights

‘I ASKED HOW MANY CHILDREN HAD WITNESSED DOG FIGHTS, EVERY HAND IN THE ROOM WENT UP’.

By Sergeant Steve Brownstein of the Chicago Police Department:

“I have been a Chicago Police Officer for over 13 years, mostly in high crime areas. Over the last decade, an increasing number of gang members nationwide have turned to illegal dog fighting.

Although dog fighting is a felony here in in Illinois, it is done with disturbing frequency. This practice is not only cruel to dogs, it’s harmful for children. Recently, when I spoke before a group of fifth and sixth graders and asked how many children had witnessed dog fights, every hand in the room went up.

Dog fighting is a bloody, gruesome spectacle in which one animal tears the other apart.

When dogs lose fights, owners who are angry about losing money on them often throw their animals into garbage dumps or put them into vacant apartments to die slow, agonizing deaths from infection, starvation, or dehydration.

I have recovered many such dogs, still alive, in varying states of mutilation. I have seen a Rottweiler mix breed with the skin of her face torn off; a pit bull puppy whose stomach was ripped open, a shepherd mix breed whose penis was shreds, and corpses of dogs who were burned alive for losing fights.

Children emulate the violence. I have had to stop children trying to make dogs fight, and I know of a group that swung a puppy around by a rope, snapping its neck.

One fifth grader, describing to me in graphic detail a pit bull fight to which his uncle took him, told me that when the terrified losing dog urinated and defecated upon itself before it died, he was the only one in the crowd who did not explode with laughter.”

Image: Injured, suffering and unloved: “Please take me away from the dog fighters and just love me”.

The Horrifying Effect On Children

There are many cruel acts of terrible animal abuse carried out by children, many of which are influenced by the culture of dog fighting.

The lack of respect and compassion for animals that is so clear in dog fighting is evident in the many senseless attacks made on innocent animals by children. The following is just one typical example of many:

Three teenagers stole a 6-month-old pet dog and set it on fire, after forcing it to fight another dog. Firefighters found the dog at about 7 p.m. on Sunday night after responding to a grass fire. The dog died shortly after being brought to the veterinarian.

Video: The after effects of a dog set on fire

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Dog Fighters Speak About Their Dying Best Fighting Dog

Below is an article, written in the own words of dog fighters, talking about the death of their best dog, Jolene:

“She was so physically busted up that it was necessary to take the kennel crate apart to get her out of it. Sadie had destroyed her face so badly that her sinuses were crushed, her whole face was pulsing up and down as she breathed and air was bubbling out of the holes on her muzzle and around her eyes.

The last thing Jolene did before loosing consciousness entirely was thrown up an incredible amount of blood.”

– The Complete Gamedog by Ed and Chris Faron.

These dog fighters went on to say how good at fighting and destroying other dogs Jolene was, and because of that, they were sorry to see her go.

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No Veterinary Treatment & Appalling Living Conditions

In between being forced to fight, the dogs are normally kept in unsanitary, cold, lonely conditions, such as in basements or isolated locations. They receive no human love or affection and are never seen in public if they show evidence of illegal dog fighting injuries.

They are left in these terrible living conditions with broken bones, suffering with painful wounds highly prone to infection, without any veterinary care. Some die from their injuries in prolonged agony.

The dogs that earn the owners most money may be cruelly treated by the owners themselves, who have no veterinary training, and certainly use no anesthetic. These people do not care about their animals, they care about money and status.

Image: This dog froze to death in the cage it where it lived between fights, in cold, damp premises. Many dogs who are unfortunate enough to end up in the fighting underworld live like this, without any love or affection. Source

Image: The filthy, uncomfortable conditions dogs commonly live in between fights, along with their painful injuries. Each dog is also typically locked in to a small  cramped cage or crate, where they lie painfully injured and bleeding from their wounds Source

Light Sentences For Horrific Abuse

In many countries, including the UK and many parts of the US, sentences given for illegal dog fighting are incredibly light and do not reflect the suffering of the animal at all.

In many states in the US, dog fighting is not even a felony. In some countries, and areas of other countries, it is not banned at all. Whether banned or not, it can be extremely prevalent.

Image: Dog punished by having it’s head nearly split in half by an axe, destroying and blinding it’s right eye. If the perpetrator is found they will face a light sentence, if any at all.

Image: Pit Bull horrifyingly neglected and starved, with maggots eating her decomposing, rotting skin. She is too weak to move and is now blind and deaf. She moaned with agony when rescuers gently tried to move her. The chain around her neck weighed more than her entire body. She had to be put out of her misery.

Do you think it is acceptable that the person who put this dog through this unimaginable suffering may get a lenient sentence if caught, or no punishment at all?

What Can Be Done To Help?

If you would like to find organisations needing your action and support to fight against a specific type of cruelty, enter the type of cruelty you want to help stop (for example “Stop Dog Fighting”) into a search engine online, or search bar on social media.
Use a fundraising search engine so you can raise money to help animals with every search.

If you would like to see dog fighting made illegal everywhere, and sentences made much tougher, or if you would like to help stop other aspects of animal cruelty and suffering, please go to the Help Stop Animal Cruelty and Suffering section of this website.

There you will find ways you can help make this happen by lobbying governments and influential people, campaigning, petition signing, ideas for raising money for anti dog-fighting organisations, as well as other ways to help.

Only taking action changes things for animals, so turn your outrage into action!

Although one person cannot do everything, so many people are sickened by this cruelty that if each one does a little, a lot can be achieved.

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How You Can Help Stop Animal Cruelty

On this site there are many varied ways you can help stop animal cruelty, and there are ways that will suit everyone, no matter what your personality.

If you would like to learn more about why we so urgently need to help stop animal suffering, please have a look at the Types Of Animal Cruelty section of this site. It will allow you to broaden your knowledge of many different types of animal abuse that happens in the world.

Sadly, what you will find is only the tip of the iceberg, but do not worry, because in the Help Stop Animal Cruelty section of this site, you can find a large and varied choice of ways that you can help stop the suffering. Have a look and see what ways would most suit you.

Help animals further by sharing the ways to stop animal cruelty you learn with other people and on social media. Doing this could mean more people help stop the cruelty, and therefore you are responsible for more animals being saved from suffering.

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