North Carolina Becomes Fifth State to Ban Hog Dog Fighting

July 13, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Humane Society of the United States today praised Governor Michael Easley for signing legislation that makes it illegal to fight trained attack dogs with trapped feral pigs, a "blood sport" known as hog dog fighting.  The HSUS would like to single out state Representatives Deborah Ross (D-38) and Verla Insko (D-56) for sponsoring the bill and shepherding it through into law.

H. 2098, besides banning hog dog fighting, also standardizes the bonding provision of the animal cruelty law so that all persons accused of animal cruelty must pay for the care and housing of animals seized in investigations until disposition of their cases.

With the signing of the law, North Carolina becomes the fifth state to outlaw hog dog fighting.  There has been a wave of legislation in the south outlawing this practice since it first came to light to the general public after an expose by NBC affiliate WPMI-TV in Mobile, Alabama where a reporter went undercover at a hog dog fight.  Hog dog fighting has been documented in 10 states, mostly in the Southeast.

Attorneys General in Florida and Texas have stated they believe the practice violates their states' animal fighting and cruelty laws. Whenever a hog-dogging bill has come before a state legislature for a vote, it has always passed. "Now that North Carolina has taken a pro-active stance against hog dog fighting, they've taken away one more safe haven for this barbaric practice," said John Goodwin, deputy manager for animal fighting issues at HSUS.

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

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.