Magda Nguyen IB2

Presentation 1
(Wednesday, 29th September, 2010)

(Supporting materials – Source: Wikipedia)

Topic: „Immoral issues of dog fighting in the US”.

Dog fighting in the United States is an illegal activity in which fights between two game dogs are
staged as a form of entertainment and gambling. Such activity has existed since the early 19th
century in the United States and was gradually outlawed in all states. It continues as an illegal
underground activity in both rural and urban locations.

In the 21st century, dog fighting has become an objectionable and unlawful activity in most places
around the world because of its immorality.

- Animal welfare and rights: Dog fighting is often considered one of the most serious forms of
animal abuse, not only for the violence that the dogs endure during and after the fights, but
because they often suffer their entire lives.
- Stolen pets (“bait” animal): In addition to the fate which awaits fighters or even dogs likely to
become fighters, often "bait" animals are used to test a dog's fighting instinct. With the use
of "Adoption Wanted" or "Good Home Needed" posters to track their "bait" which is used in
the training for these "fighters". The "bait" is mauled or killed in the process. Often "bait"
animals are stolen pets.
- Danger of training dogs for fighting: After a life of training as a fighting dog, if a dog does not
suffer its death while in such service, it is often euthanized (killed but not painfully). In
Richmond, Virginia, when a dog fighter was sentenced in June 2007, it was revealed in court
that over a dozen of his dogs had to be euthanized, either because of serious illness, injury or
malnutrition, or because their training as fighting dogs made them too dangerous for
adoption.
- Societal impact, gang and criminal activities: For many years, even after it was outlawed, dog
fighting was considered an isolated animal welfare issue, and as such was ignored, denied, or
disregarded by law enforcement agencies. However, it has now been established that the
dog fighting culture is often intimately connected to other criminal activity, with dog fighters
frequently involved in organized crime, racketeering, drug distribution, or gangs, and dog
fighting events often facilitating gambling and drug trafficking.