Animal Welfare Groups Urge Iowa Lawmakers to Crack Down on Dogfighting

April 1, 2008

In the final weeks of the Iowa state legislative session, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and The Humane Society of the United States are calling on lawmakers to upgrade the state's laws to combat dogfighting. Legislation to increase the penalties for being a spectator at a dogfight — S.F. 2203 by Sen. Joe Seng and H.F. 2381 by Rep. Jim Lykam — has passed the Senate unanimously and awaits action in the House of Representatives. 

While dogfighting and the possession of fighting dogs are both felony offenses in Iowa, it is currently only a misdemeanor to be a spectator at a dogfight. The people who fuel this criminal industry by attending dogfights — paying hundreds or thousands of dollars in admission fees and gambling, generating the bulk of the revenue for this illegal enterprise — are punished with a fine as low as $500, which is treated as simply a cost of doing business. 

"You'd face tougher penalties here in Iowa for failing to give a prize to the winner of a sweepstakes within 30 days, falsifying information when sending spam e-mail, or offering a bribe to a sporting official," said Tom Colvin, executive director of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. "We cannot let dogfighting enthusiasts get away with a slap on the wrist here in our state. With this new legislation, we can finally provide a meaningful deterrent to stop people from financing these cruel and degrading spectacles."

Like any underground crime, dogfighting only thrives because people spend money on it. Spectators don't stumble across dogfights accidentally. They seek out the criminal activity at secret locations, and they often need passwords to enter. They provide cover for dogfighters who blend into crowds at the first sign of a police raid, and hinder law enforcement efforts because every violator at the bust claims to be there as a spectator.

"Dogfighting is a despicable and indefensible practice," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Humane Society of the United States. "Spectators finance dogfights through admission fees and gambling, and Iowa's law is deficient in handling these people who cheer and enable this cruelty. Lawmakers must crack down on the entire cast of characters involved in dogfighting."

In organized dogfights, two dogs, usually pit bulls, are forced into a small arena to fight for the entertainment and gambling of spectators. The animals are put through a sadistic training regiment, and pumped full of stimulants to heighten their aggression. During the fights, they suffer broken bones, deep puncture wounds and other serious injuries. Losing dogs are said to lack "gameness," and are shot, electrocuted, hanged or abandoned to die slowly from their injuries.

In addition to animal cruelty, other crimes involving drugs, guns and human-on-human violence are integral elements of these vicious gatherings. The fights have become more common in border areas, because people come to Iowa from neighboring states like Nebraska where it's already a felony to be a spectator at a dogfight.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.