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History and Facts of Dog Fighting

When and how did dog fighting come to America?

There are many historical accounts of dog fights going all the way back to the 1750s, widespread activity emerged after the Civil War.

Commonly dog fighting was a form of entertainment for firemen and policemen. They even had a "Police Gazette" that issued dates and time of the dog fights. Although many laws had been passed to outlaw this Horrific entertainment, dog fighting continued to expand even more throughout the twentieth century.

Where did we get these animals from?

Most of the dogs came from Ireland and England.This was because bull-baiting and bear-baiting became illegal so dog fighting became there new entertainment.

How widespread is Dog fighting today?

There are so many different underground dog fights still, that it is hard to estimate how widespread it has really become. They believe that the numeber of people in American that still continue to participate in dog fights is in the tens of thousands.

While dog fighting has declined since the 1990's there are still so many out there that continue trainging there dogs to fight. The internet has had a large impact on the rise of dog fighting because it has made it easier for people to exchange information on their dogs and set up fight dates.

Why do so many involve themselves in dog fighting ?

There are many reasons people are take part in dog fighting. The most basic reason is greed. Dog fight raids have resulted in seizures of more than $500,000 dogs , and it is not unusual for $20,000 - $30,000 to be bet on a single fight. Also fees and the sale of pups from promising bloodlines can also bring in thousands of dollars.

For others, the attraction lies within using the animals to fight their own battles and demonstrate their strength. However, when a dog loses, this can cause the owner of the dog to lose not only money, but status, and may lead to brutal actions against the dog.