U.S. Attorney Gregory Lockhart and Attorney General Marc Dann Receive 2007 Humane Law Enforcement Award

October 12, 2007

Federal and State Officials Recognized for Coordinated Dogfighting Raids Last Spring

Members of Ohio law enforcement will be honored by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) during a national awards ceremony this weekend for their successful March crackdown on dogfighting in southwestern Ohio.

U.S. Attorney Gregory Lockhart, Attorney General Marc Dann and USDA Agent Mark Barnhart will be honored Oct. 13 during the 2007 Humane Law Enforcement Awards at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Alexandria, Va. The ceremony, which is co-sponsored by The HSUS and the NDAA, will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and will feature remarks from The HSUS' President and CEO Wayne Pacelle and the NDAA's Executive Director Thomas Charron.

"We are pleased to recognize law enforcement officials' tremendous efforts to end the scourge of animal fighting and cruelty," said Pacelle. "They are truly on the front lines of this battle and it is our privilege to honor them with this award."

The award stems from the March 24 massive raid on various large Ohio dogfighting pit and seven dogfighting groups based in the Dayton and Cincinnati areas. This investigation culminated in one of the largest and most successful criminal dogfighting crackdowns in U.S. history.

The busts, which were executed by coordinated local, state and federal agents, resulted in nine federal indictments and the arrest of dozens more on state felony dogfighting charges.

The Ohio busts signaled a growing federal push against dogfighting from federal agents and provided further impetus for the passage of the federal Animal Fighting Enforcement Act just two days after the raids.

Other award recipients are:

• The Fulton County (Ga.) District Attorney's Office, led by District Attorney Paul Howard, for aggressively prosecuting a puppy torture case and lobbying the governor for stiffer penalties for such abuse.

• The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, led by District Attorney Steve Cooley, for creating an animal cruelty case coordinator to better train prosecutors and law enforcement officers throughout the county.

• The Chicago Police Department for creating an animal crimes unit and spearheading a groundbreaking animal cruelty study.

• Mecklenburg County (Va.) law enforcement for its successful raid of an interstate cockfighting ring, setting a precedent for cockfighting investigations in the state. 

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization – backed by 10 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.