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Ranking of State Dogfighting Laws

Dogfighting is a crime in every state, but the states vary in how severely they treat the crime. Below, the fifty states are ranked in six tiers, according to whether they consider each of three offenses (dogfighting itself; being a spectator of dogfighting; and possession of fighting dogs) a felony, a misdemeanor or legal. Within those tiers the states are ranked by length of jail sentence and fines imposed.

Whether they are forced to fight in New Jersey or Idaho, dogs suffer greatly in this bloodsport, so states at the bottom of the list should toughen up punishments for dogfighting. Lax laws against owning fighting dogs or being a spectator at a fight make it more difficult for law enforcement to crack down on this cruel activity.

(Note: Three states are tied for 12th place.)

You can browse this file or jump to a specific state.

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado
Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois
Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland
Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana
Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico
New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon
Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota
Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington
Washington, D.C. | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

State	Dogfighting	Spectator at a Dogfight	Possession of Dogs for Fighting	Rank

First Tier: Three Felony Provisions

NJ	Crime of the 3rd degree 3-5 years Max $15,000	Crime of the 3rd degree 3-5 years Max $15,000	Crime of the 3rd degree 3-5 years Max $15,000	1

AL	Class C Felony 1-10 years Max of $5,000	Class C Felony 1-10 years Max of $5,000	Class C Felony 1-10 years Max of $5,000	2

CO	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years $1,000 - $100,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years $1,000 - $100,000	Class 5 Felony 1-3 years $1,000 - $100,000	3

MS	Felony 1-3 years $1,000 - $5,000	Felony Max 1 year $500 - $5,000	Felony 1-3 years $1,000 - $5,000	4

AZ	Class 5 Felony 9 mo. – 2 years Max $150,000	Class 6 Felony 6 mo – 1 ½ years Max $150,000	Class 5 Felony 9 mo. – 2 years Max $150,000	5

OH	4th Degree Felony 6 – 18 months $5,000	4th Degree Felony 6 – 18 months $5,000	4th Degree Felony 6 – 18 months $5,000	6

NC	Class H Felony 4-8mo. – 5-10 mo	Class H Felony 4-8mo. – 5-10 mo	Class H Felony 4-8mo. – 5-10 mo	7

PA	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 7 years Max $15,000	8

NH	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	Class B Felony Max 7 years Max $4,000	9

NE	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class IV felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	10

WA	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	11

CT	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	12

FL	3rd degree Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	3rd degree Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	3rd degree Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	12

VT	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	Felony Max 5 year Max $5,000	12

MI	Felony Max 4 years $5,000 - $50,000 500 – 100 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $1,000 - $5,000 250 – 500 hours community service	Felony Max 4 years $5,000 - $50,000 500 – 100 hours community service	15

RI	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,500	Felony Max 2 years Max $1,000	16

NM	4th Degree Felony 18 months Max $5,000	4th Degree Felony 18 months Max $5,000	4th Degree Felony 18 months Max $5,000	17

Second Tier: Two Felony Provisions

IL	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,500	Class 4 Felony 1-3 years Max $25,000	18

MN	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	Misdemeanor Max 90 days Max $1,000	Felony Min 1 year 1 day	19

GA	Felony 1-5 years Max $15,000	Misdemeanor Max $1,000	Felony 1-5 years Max $15,000	20

OK	Felony 1-10 years $2,000 - $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $500	Felony 1-10 years $2,000 - $25,000	21

LA	Felony 1-10 years $1,000 - $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $500	Felony 1-10 years $1,000 - $25,000	22

TN	Class E Felony 1-6 years Max $3,000	Class C Misdemeanor Max of 30 days Max $50	Class E Felony 1-6 years Max $3,000	23

KS	Level 10 nonperson felony 1-5 years Max $100,000	Class B nonperson misdemeanor Max 6 mo Max $ 1,000	Level 10 nonperson felony 1-5 years Max $100,000	24

KY	Class D Felony 1 – 5 years $1,000 - $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 12 months Max $500	Class D Felony 1 – 5 years $1,000 - $10,000	25

IN	Class D Felony 6 mo – 3 years Max $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $5,000	Class D Felony 6 mo – 3 years Max $10,000	26

MO	Class D Felony Max 10 years	Class A Misdemeanor Min 6 months	Class D Felony Max 10 years	27

AR	Class D Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Class D Felony Max 6 years Max $10,000	28

OR	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $6,250	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $125,000	29

AK	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Violation No jail time Max $500	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	30

DC	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 180 days Max $1,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	31

UT	3rd Degree Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	Class B misdemeanor 6 months Max $1,000	3rd Degree Felony Max 5 years Max $25,000	32

IA	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750 - $7,500	Aggravated misdemeanor Max 2 years $500 - $5,000	Class D Felony Max 5 years $750 - $7,500	33

ND	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $5,000	34

SC	Felony Must be 5 years or $5000 or both	Misdemeanor Must be 6 mo or $500 or both	Felony Must be 5 years or $5000 or both	35

MA	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	Misdemeanor equivalent Max 1 month Max $250	Felony equivalent Max 5 years (state prison) or Max 1 year (house of correction) Max $1,000	36

ME	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max, in addition to: Max 5 years Max $5,000	Class D crime Max 1 year Max $2,000	Class C crime Court must impose a fine of $500 max: in addition to: Max 5 years Max $5,000	37

VA	Class 6 felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	Class 1 misdemeanor Max 12 months Max $2,500	Class 6 felony Max 5 years Max $2,500	38

ID	Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $100 - $5,000	Felony Max 5 years Max $50,000	39

WI	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	Class A misdemeanor Max 9 months Max $10,000	Class I Felony Max 3 years, 6 months Max $10,000	40

CA	Felony 16 mo or 2 or 3 years Max $50,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 mo Max $1,000	Felony 16 mo or 2 or 3 years Max $50,000	41

MD	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 90 days Max $1,000	Felony Max 3 years Max $5,000	42

DE	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	Class A Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,300	Class F Felony Max 3 years Discretionary fine	43

WY	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $750	Felony Max 2 years Max $5,000	44

SD	Class 6 Felony Max 2 years Max $4,000	Class 1 Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $2,000	Class 6 Felony Max 2 years Max $4,000	45

Third Tier: One Felony Provision

WV	Felony 1-5 years $1,000-$5,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year $100-$1,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months $300-$2,000	46

NY	Felony Max 4 years Max $25,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $1,000	Misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $15,000	47

TX	State jail felony 180 days – 2 years	Class A misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $4,000	Class A misdemeanor Max 1 year Max $4,000	48

Fourth Tier: Allows Possession or Spectators

MT	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	Legal	Felony 1-5 years Max $5,000	49

HI	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	Legal	Class C Felony Max 5 years Max $10,000	50

NV	Category D Felony 1-4 years Max $5,000	Misdemeanor Max 6 months Max $1,000	Legal	51

Updated May 6, 2008

Related Links

Dog Eat Dog: The Bloodthirsty Underworld of Dogfighting

Dogfighting Fact Sheet

Dogfighting Cases

State Dogfighting Laws

Taking Action to End Dogfighting: How to Spot the Signs and What You Can Do