Sunday, September 16, 2007
Dog fighting can be traced to colonial times
Paws & Claws
Jill Bowen has practiced veterinary medicine in England and Texas. She lives in Blacksburg now, and answers local pet owners' questions every week in The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com.
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Can you tell me why people are so divided over dog fighting? Many people cannot see what is so heinous about dog fighting, while others are particularly incensed by it. Please explain.
Accounts of dog fighting in America date back to the late 1600s and early 1700s. Early settlers brought the sport with them from Europe. It increased in popularity when bull baiting became illegal in Great Britain. Owners of bull-baiting dogs then began fighting these dogs against each other. Bulldogs were crossed with terriers to produce bull terriers. They got the name pit bulls from the fact that they were pitted against each other in a pit or a ring made of plywood or straw bales.
Dog fighting attracts a diverse group of people, transcending all classes and cultures. Betting is a prominent feature of the pursuit. It is estimated that 20,000 to 40,000 people participate in dog fighting in the United States. It has become a multimillion-dollar industry, and it is not unusual for tens of thousands of dollars to be gambled at dog fights. Puppies can sell for extremely high prices.
The ideal fighting dog is muscular, athletic and overly aggressive to other dogs. They are trained from an early age. Puppies are kept on heavy chains or isolated in small cages. Anabolic steroids are often used to help build muscle and promote aggression. Starvation, abuse and isolation build their aggression. Smaller dogs, cats and rabbits are used to sharpen the dogs’ fighting skills and encourage blood lust.
Owners of fighting dogs often crop their ears and dock their tails very short so as to present less of a target during fights.
There are three types of dog fights: street, hobbyist and professional.
Street fights take place in alleys, parks and back yards with no rules and are often associated with gang activity. Pit bulls are the most common breed fought, but others such as Rottweilers and Dobermanns may be used.
Hobbyists usually take better care of their dogs and may only participate in a few organized fights a year for financial gain.
Professional dog fighters have a large number of dogs, both for fighting and breeding. They study the bloodlines and only breed the best fighters. Unsuccessful dogs are inhumanely destroyed.
Dog and cock fighting is illegal in the United States, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and is a felony in every state except Idaho and Wyoming, where it is a misdemeanor. In Georgia it is not illegal to watch a dog fight.
Dog fights are usually held in secret locations and details are spread by word of mouth. The fight takes place in a pit or ring 15 to 20 feet square. Two lines are drawn 12 to 14 feet apart, where the dogs face each other before being released to fight. The dogs are weighed to match up with dogs of similar weights and bathed to remove any taint that might put off the opponent. The fight can last from one to several hours, until one dog is dead or refuses to fight any more. Bets are taken, both before and during the course of the fight as the action progresses.
Losing dogs are ignored or, worse, killed in front of a cheering crowd.
The intentional breeding for fighting and a lack of socialization are causing an increasing number of attacks on humans and pets. How anyone can condone or excuse this incredibly cruel sport is beyond my comprehension.
Accounts of dog fighting in America date back to the late 1600s and early 1700s. Early settlers brought the sport with them from Europe. It increased in popularity when bull baiting became illegal in Great Britain. Owners of bull-baiting dogs then began fighting these dogs against each other. Bulldogs were crossed with terriers to produce bull terriers. They got the name pit bulls from the fact that they were pitted against each other in a pit or a ring made of plywood or straw bales.
Dog fighting attracts a diverse group of people, transcending all classes and cultures. Betting is a prominent feature of the pursuit. It is estimated that 20,000 to 40,000 people participate in dog fighting in the United States. It has become a multimillion-dollar industry, and it is not unusual for tens of thousands of dollars to be gambled at dog fights. Puppies can sell for extremely high prices.
The ideal fighting dog is muscular, athletic and overly aggressive to other dogs. They are trained from an early age. Puppies are kept on heavy chains or isolated in small cages. Anabolic steroids are often used to help build muscle and promote aggression. Starvation, abuse and isolation build their aggression. Smaller dogs, cats and rabbits are used to sharpen the dogs’ fighting skills and encourage blood lust.
Owners of fighting dogs often crop their ears and dock their tails very short so as to present less of a target during fights.
There are three types of dog fights: street, hobbyist and professional.
Street fights take place in alleys, parks and back yards with no rules and are often associated with gang activity. Pit bulls are the most common breed fought, but others such as Rottweilers and Dobermanns may be used.
Hobbyists usually take better care of their dogs and may only participate in a few organized fights a year for financial gain.
Professional dog fighters have a large number of dogs, both for fighting and breeding. They study the bloodlines and only breed the best fighters. Unsuccessful dogs are inhumanely destroyed.
Dog and cock fighting is illegal in the United States, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico and is a felony in every state except Idaho and Wyoming, where it is a misdemeanor. In Georgia it is not illegal to watch a dog fight.
Dog fights are usually held in secret locations and details are spread by word of mouth. The fight takes place in a pit or ring 15 to 20 feet square. Two lines are drawn 12 to 14 feet apart, where the dogs face each other before being released to fight. The dogs are weighed to match up with dogs of similar weights and bathed to remove any taint that might put off the opponent. The fight can last from one to several hours, until one dog is dead or refuses to fight any more. Bets are taken, both before and during the course of the fight as the action progresses.
Losing dogs are ignored or, worse, killed in front of a cheering crowd.
The intentional breeding for fighting and a lack of socialization are causing an increasing number of attacks on humans and pets. How anyone can condone or excuse this incredibly cruel sport is beyond my comprehension.
