Mississippi Governor Barbour Approves Bill To Outlaw Hog Dog Fighting

March 28, 2006

WASHINGTON— The Humane Society of the United States today praised Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour for approving legislation that makes it illegal to fight trained attack dogs with trapped feral pigs, a "blood sport" known as hog dog fighting.

With passage of S.B. 2210, Mississippi becomes the second state to outlaw hog dog fighting. Louisiana banned the practice in 2004.  Similar legislation is pending in Alabama and South Carolina.

"We thank the Governor for signing this bill into law and taking a powerful stand against the awful spectacle of pitting animals against one another in fights that end in severe injury or death for the animals involved," said John Goodwin, deputy manager of animal fighting issues for The HSUS.  "Hog dog fighting is horrible animal cruelty for human amusement and it has no place in Mississippi.  We praise the Mississippi Governor and legislature for making this barbaric activity illegal in the state."

Goodwin also thanked Senator Grey Tollison who skillfully shepherded the bill to passage, and other members of the Mississippi Senate and House who approved the bill in mid-March. 

Hog dog fighting in Mississippi was brought to light by the television show Inside Edition last November.  Journalists and a small camera crew from Inside Edition wore hidden cameras to catch brutal scenes of animal fighting on film, while also documenting the presence of small children witnessing the fighting. 

Hog dog fighting has been documented in 10 states, mostly in the Southeast. Attorneys General in Florida, Texas and South Carolina have stated they believe the practice violates their states' animal fighting and cruelty laws.

At the federal level, Congress is considering the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2005 (H.R. 817 and S. 382), which was approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate in April, and is now pending in the House Judiciary Committee.  The legislation seeks to upgrade penalties for interstate or foreign commerce in dogs, birds, or other animals for fighting purposes, and to create a new crime for interstate transport of cockfighting implements. 

For more information on animal fighting issues, go to www.hsus.org

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.