[acorn54]

please visit this site to see how you can help save dogs from dog fighting



Please Help Stop Organized Dog Fighting

[Lara's mom]

Thank you for posting this information. I can't even begin to imagine how sick and twisted people have to be to enjoy the terrible pain and suffering that is being inflicted on these animals. It is horrible beyond all imagination.

It is yet another case of the laws designed to protect animals failing miserably. Unfortunately, dog fighting is highly organized and very much "underground". Only incredible vigilance on the part of the police and animal welfare societies combined with long jail sentences, huge fines and seizure of the profits from this disgusting practice will ever even begin to save these dogs.

When celebrities like Michael Vick are handed what basically amounts to a slap on the wrist, it sends a bad message to the other psychopaths who engage in this activity.

It comes down to attitude. We have to make dog fighting as socially unacceptable as impaired driving, spousal abuse and child abuse. Perhaps, what is needed is a very graphic national campaign that actually shows people the horrific injuries sustained by these innocent animals. Maybe if the public actually sees the results of dog fighting, attitudes would change and more people would be willing to turn these monsters in.

[Mr. Vega]

I think it should be less acceptable than drunk driving, a lot of people still do that anyway. I wouldn't have any problem with dog fighting = life in prison. Seriously.

There's a fair amount of underground dog fighting that goes on around here. They travel around and it usually goes down in old buildings and such that have been abandoned. 1 case in particular always comes to mind:

A local animal control officer called the small animal hospital and prepared us for the dog she was bringing in. Said it had been used in dog fighting. Well, when she brought the little female Pit in, she further explained that this dog had been used as kind of a "bait" dog. It was left restrained to let other dogs attack it so they'd gain experience attacking and confidence. Of all the messed up neglect cases I've seen, this one hit me the hardest for some reason...

She had fresh, bleeding bite wounds all around her ears, muzzle, and neck - which were so painful and swelled when I touched them that she'd yelp with just a slight touch. As I cleaned the blood off, I saw that the fresh wounds only covered up the recent, infected ones. And I saw that both of those were covering up the old, scarring wounds that indicated this animal had been enduring this treatment for some time. Her haircoat looked, well, terrible. Her abdomen was distended and pretty painful when you'd manipulate it - turned out to be LOTS of parasites. Officer said she found her chained up and was pretty sure the people had gotten all the use out of her that they were going to get and were just going to leave it in the abandoned building to die. Now, you'd think a dog that had endured so much would be aggressive, timid, ready to bite any person coming near. I did anyway, so I was very cautious about treating her. But, the second this dog walked into the ICU ward, it came bouncing up to me, tail wagging, and licking my hands (and eventually my face) like crazy - still a gross, bloddy mess but just as happy as she could be. Nicer than most privately owned dogs I've seen come through there.

We got her all fixed up over the course of a couple weeks. She'll always have the scars, but, what a great dog she was. The officer came back for her and to my knowledge actually did find her a good home.

[Lara's mom]

Life in prison would be a fitting and just punishment for the monsters who perpetrate this evil. I hope so much that the dog found a loving home where she could live out her life in safety and be surrounded by people who loved, pampered and spoiled her.