Animal Cruelty Awareness

One kind of animal cruelty is dog fighting. An estimated 40,000 people participate in this sport in the United States. The most common breed used for dog fighting is pit bull. Dog fighting is a contest between two dogs that have been specifically trained for fighting. The dogs are placed in a pit for spectators to watch and participate in gambling on the fight. The dogs are allowed to fight until one cannot or will not continue. Dog fighting is illegal in many countries. Dog fighting is considered animal abuse because of the violence that the animals must endure during the fights and the suffering they usually endure in training. Most of the time, this suffering is intentional because the trainers believe that the more they suffer, the tougher they will become. Many of the dogs used in this activity die due to blood loss, shock, dehydration, infection of wounds, or exhaustion. Furthermore, some dogs who don’t perform up to par are executed. Another reason dog fighting is cruel is the fact that many trainers use “bait” animals to train the dogs. “Bait” animals are smaller animals such as cats, rabbits, or small dogs that are sacrificed for training the dogs. Another problem with dog fighting are the illegal activities that occur at the events. Illegal gambling is the norm at dog fighting events. Other kinds of violence and distribution of illegal drugs also occurs at these events. In most states, dog fighting is a felony. But in some, it is only a misdemeanor. In all states, it is still legal to be a spectator at a fight or own a fighting dog. Taking steps to make dog fighting a felony in all states and making spectating and owning illegal could very well prevent much of the dog fighting that takes place (The Humane Society).

“Dog Fighting Fact Sheet.” The Humane Society of the United States. 19 Apr 2009. http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/animal_fighting_the_final_round/dogfighting_fact_sheet/