Dogfighting Facts

Dogfighting is cruel and inhumane

The injuries dogs recieve during "matches" are often severe and frequently fatal. The dogs often break bones with their powerful jaws. Blood loss, dehydration, shock, exhaustion or infection often kills the dogs after the match has ended. A lot of innocent pets are also stolen and used as bait, these dogs are generally always killed in the process.

Dogfighting attracts many other illegal activities

Illegal gambling is the norm at these events. Firearms are generally present to protect the "purses" and the cash present. Dogfighting has been connected with homicides and illegal drug sales. Very often small children are also present at these matches to desensitize them to violence, make them more enthusiastic to be involved in violence, and teach them to disrespect living creatures and the law.

Dogfighting affects everyone in society

Not only are your pets in danger of being stolen to be used as bait animals but this culture is creating criminals. Criminals that are desensitized to violence and void of empathy. Drugs and guns are commonplace at dogfights, being sold to people living in your world. Dogfighting is a far-reaching crime. Much farther than one might think on the surface. One instance described by Steve Brownstein, a detective in Chicago, involved a 12 year old boy named "Speedy" that he had impounded the dog of for fighting it. The next incident Speedy was involved in was the rape of a 7 year old girl. We are seeing more and more the correlation of violence against animals and violence against humans. Wether you realize it or not, the root of crime that affects your life may well be in dogfighting.

This is not a video game

This is real-life violence that is commonly happening in front of small children. An entire class of 4th graders in an inner city Chicago school said they regularly witnessed dogfights. Only a few of them thought there was anything wrong with it. These children are losing their ability to empathize. If you have no empathy you become capable of unspeakable acts. And now, with Michael Vick's investigation and conviction, children are seeing their idols involved in this atrocity. Vick, throughout the coverage and his many "apologies" never once said he was sorry for what he did to those dogs. He was sorry he got caught, he was sorry that it would effect his life, but there was no remorse for the lives he so carelessly tossed aside. Or rather, in one instance, slammed to the ground until dead. What kind of message does that send? We can't live in a world like this. Violence toward animals is just a precursor to violence against humans.