I hope you read Cris Barrish's story Sunday on dogfighting in Delaware. It's here, and if we close our eyes and ears to it and say it's someone else's problem, it will continue to slink around the shadows of our cities and towns and rural areas.
It is, in a word, unconscionable.
I don't want to hear about cultural differences or geographic differences or whether people grew up in the city or the country. Those are excuses. Plain old, run-of-the-mill excuses.
No one who has been around animals for any length of time can justify one animal fighting with another. We used to separate the cows that got unruly with each other on the farm, and the same thing with the neighborhood dogs who felt compelled to show who was the biggest, baddest alpha dog of them all.
For those who thought the photos that went with Sunday's story were too graphic, I say we need to show the effects of dogfighting to the general public. They need to see what these abusers consider to be "sport." Words alone won't get people to call the SPCA or the police when they hear dogs yelping in a park, or growling and barking on a nearby farm.
They need to see the consequences of doing nothing.
4 comments:
One thing I never hear mentioned in the whole dog fighting story is how the tortue of animals is one of the classifications the FBI uses to define if a person is a serial killer or not.
I have been seriously involved with dog rescue for the past 9 years. In those years we see a lot - dogs abused, starved and just left to die. We have also taken in a few pups that were going to be used for fighting, but we got them in time. One pit bull pup we took into foster was 8 weeks old and had been starved, dehydrated, beaten and strangled, as they were trying to make him mean. He was the sweetest pup you would ever want to meet - and still is.
One thing not mentioned in the article is the dogs that are stolen out of people's back yards and used as "bait" to get the fighting dogs into a frenzy. This is another reason NOT to leave your dog outside, as these people do not care. They drive around looking for dogs in yards or on chains when no one is home - they just take them and you do not want to know what is done to your dog. Usually they do not live long, but it is a horrible death.
While dog fighting is a felony in the State of Delaware, usually they plead down to animal cruelty. Animal Cruelty is a felony in 31 states - Delaware is NOT one of them!! So when they plead down to animal cruelty they are charged with a misdemeanor and get a slap on the wrist. Usually unsupervised probation and a fine. We need to make our legislators know that Delaware needs stiffer punishment laws put into effect - and quickly.
The only good thing about the Michael Vick case is that it is making the public - especially the dog loving public - aware of what is going on - everywhere!! Let's hope that people do something about making changes to the laws.
And by the way, our rescue, Dalmatian Rescue of Delaware, sells car magnets that say "STOP DOG FIGHTING - Punish the deed not the breed" if anyone is interested. All proceeds benefit the rescue.
Pictures speak louder than words. Keep up the good work News Journal and Jill Fredel.
Thank you Jill and the News Journal for putting this out there. It's a sad and very sick thing that is going on.
Molly, I agree with you. Laws need to be much tougher on animal abusers. I would also like to add that not only do these people steal small pets in yards for baiting fighting dogs but they also prey on the "Free to a good Home" ads. Places like Freecycle and the Free ads are also places that they can get pets to use for bait. Let's put a stop to this now!
Mary Wilson
http://www.PetLoversBoutique.com
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