Many people end up at www.UnchainYourDog.org
because they are looking for information on dog fighting. We agree with
hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons that Cruel's Not Cool (Listen
to Simmons or see
poster).
Please, have a heart and treat other living and feeling creatures the way
you want to be treated: with respect and kindness. Dogs are social animals who
- in the wild - hunt together, sleep
together, and play together. It is a dog's nature to respect the pack
leader and get along with the rest of the pack. Not to fight. Dogfighting is cruel,
unnatural, and wrong.
Dog fighting is a felony, so report it to the police! To learn more about
dog fighting and how to stop it, visit our
Dogfighting page.
The Underground World of Dog-Fighting
www.woai.com
By: Walker Robinson
January 13, 2005, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS--After last weekend’s raid of a dog-fighting ring in Bexar County, the Trouble Shooters dug out some never-before-seen footage that takes you inside the world of illegal dog-fighting. The Trouble Shooters began investigating the problem of dog-fighting in South Texas more than a year and obtained the graphic videotape from the Humane Society of the United States. The tape was seized during a raid and it shows the barbaric nature of this so-called "sport."
Two pit bulls are placed in a dusty pit lined with 4-foot plywood walls. The dogs are “bumped,” or slammed into each other to aggravate them. Then the handlers let the dogs go and they latch onto each other with their powerful jaws. With their owners screaming them on, the dogs are forced to literally tear each other apart. Usually, the fights last for an hour or more and often end with the death of one of the animals.
These dogs are born into a life of violence. They’re bred and trained to be killers. Dog-fighters will force the animals to run for hours on treadmills to build endurance and hang by their teeth to increase jaw strength. The dogs are often left chained outdoors with little food to keep them “lean and mean.”
"Animal fighting goes on. We're aware of it,” says James Bias of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Texas. “We know that there's an underground there. It's not something that many people are aware of, unless they're connected in to it."
The highly-secretive rings often include gambling and drug trafficking and are sometimes related to gangs, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The difficulty for local law enforcement is catching dog-fighters in the act. "It’s very, very difficult,” says Guadalupe County Attorney Elizabeth Murray-Kolb. “They're covert, they move all the time. They might fight in one county one time, another county the next time. And these are very, very dangerous people."
Last year, the Trouble Shooters checked out a property near Seguin where the owners had recently been charged with animal cruelty. We found training paraphernalia such as deflated basketballs hanging in the trees. The yard was home to almost 20 pit bulls with heavy logging chains around their necks. Many had visible bite marks on their bodies. However, without proof of dog-fighting, the owners could only be charged with animal cruelty, a misdemeanor, rather than dog-fighting, a felony punishable by jail-time.
That's what makes the bust in Bexar County so rare. Deputies were tipped off and raided the scene while a fight was going on. Sgt. Michael Pesses tells the Trouble Shooters it is the first bust he has seen in fourteen years with the Sheriff’s Office. In all, one hundred dogs were seized and five people were arrested. Authorities say owner Brian Bailey was running one of the largest dog-fighting rings in the area. They hope the raid will lead to more tips. "It's a topic that really needs to be discussed,” says Murray-Kolb. “Neighbors need to be watching out."
If you suspect someone is dog-fighting, call the police.
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www.woai.com
Posted By: Carly Miller
January 10, 2005, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS-- Pit bulls raised to fight and tear each other to pieces, all for money. Sheriff's deputies arrested five people, accusing them of doing that to almost 100 dogs.
The arrests came during a raid Saturday night in East Bexar County on Trainer Hale Road. Deputies say the property owner, Brian Bailey, ran one of the largest dog-fighting rings in Texas. Now he's in jail, and the dogs found on his land were taken away. "They would have actually been fought until they were injured or killed," said Kathryn Bice with the Humane Society.
Nearly 40 puppies and 50 adult pit bulls were seized from the property during a dog-fighting raid. Deputies were tipped off and say the made the bust while a dogfight was going on. They arrested five and ticketed twenty people for watching. They say it's a brutal sight.
"As all of you have probably seen two dogs fight in your backyard or in the street, compound that by 100, and that's what you have," said animal cruelty investigator Dave Garcia.
They say the dogs were chained and were thin and abused. "This dog has old fight wounds and scars across his chest. You can see them all along his legs," said Garcia.
"To see the pen out there, and the carpet with all the blood on it, that's probably the hardest part," said Sergeant Michael Pesses.
Investigators say the landowner, Brian Bailey, is well known for dogfights. "This was a well organized, large dog-fighting event," said Garcia.
Now the pit bulls could pay the ultimate price. The future of the dogs is uncertain. A judge will decide whether they can be rehabilitated or if they'll have to be destroyed.
A tragic thought for animal lovers everywhere. "This is a heartbreak. The animals we love that are companion animals shouldn't be used to fight and kill each other," said Bice.
Bailey faces animal cruelty and dog-fighting charges, and if convicted, could spend two years in a state jail. A judge will decide the dogs' fates in the next ten days. We'll let you know what happens.
