It is one thing to make dog fighting illegal--another to have the will to actually stop it.

Posted by: Nicholas Camp | March 7, 2008 09:34 AM

Dude, this is so amazing. All I know is nothing is more disturbing then seeing the physical and mental state that these dogs are left in. Hopefully each State will actually enforce this.

Posted by: Sarah | March 7, 2008 11:10 AM

I hope that officials in all the states figure out how these dogfighters are operating in plain site.

To keep dog fighting running, they need to breed large numbers of dogs.

So all these dog fighter breeders operate as pet dog breeders or pulling dog breeders or show dog breeders and pretend to be legit.

That's even what Vick hid under for a long time when he kept getting reported for dog fighting. He just claimed he was a breeder that loved dogs and sold them as pets, and he just kept right on going in the dog fighting racket for years.

It's all a big scam. They are breeding as many dogs as they can to torture, kill, abandon on the streets.

These fake responsible breeders are just hiding these dogfighting businesses under supposedly legit dog breeding businesses.

They even have "responsible dog owner" groups that lobby for their real interests- keeping the dog fighting breeding and business going.

Posted by: kelly | March 7, 2008 11:18 AM

It's been a felony in 48 states for a long time, many years in some states, yet it's still going on. Making it a felony changes nothing. These two states have given in to political pressure brought on by the Vick case, but once that case fades, no one will worry about it anymore. I mean, it was a felony in Georgia but no one was stopping it until it involved someone famous. If no famous people are involved in dog fighting in any state, none of the states will be motivated to do squat.

Posted by: Ashes | March 7, 2008 03:21 PM

I wouldn't give either Idaho or Wyoming a huge thumbs up since both states want to rid their states of wolves "by any means possible!" Until they have compassion for wolves as well as their relative, the dog, they don't deserve a huge thumbs up! It is nice that they find dog fighting a felony but still...

Posted by: Rex's Mom | March 7, 2008 04:56 PM

I agree with a bunch of other people that just because they made it a felony doesnt mean that they will actually do something to stop it. These states do not deserve a big thumbs up because it should have been made a felony a long time ago but it's about time. Those states r just doing something because of Vick. But i guess they r doing something to prevent it so that's good.

Posted by: Amanda | March 7, 2008 08:19 PM

Yeah, Ashes, great idea. Just don't pass any laws.

Are you an AKC dipshit?

There are actually many non-corrupt authorities who wanted to shut down dog fighters, BUT THE LAWS WEREN'T THERE!

Climb out of your hole, Ashes, and connect to reality!

Posted by: kelly | March 7, 2008 09:14 PM

Ashes -

It's almost like drugs. Coke, pot, etc have been illegal for awhile, but will the "actual" crack down ever happen? One never knows. I feel the same fate as dog fighting.

I feel that it will take the next President to die of a heroin overdose and the next Benji to die in a dog fight for anyone to sit up and take notice.

I hope it doesn't come to that though.

Posted by: Kristina | March 8, 2008 01:47 AM

Unfortunately, a lot of laws pertaining to animals are not enforced. The best thing for people to do is to know what laws exist so that they can help ensure that they ARE enforced, either through letter-writing campaigns or petitions or whatever. For e.g., in NV, there is a smoking ban for all restaurants, but some restaurants don't enforce it. People can go on-line and anonymously report non-conforming restaurants to the Health District, who will then follow up as appropriate. So--if you know the laws and you know to whom any non-compliance should be addressed, you can help to ensure that they are enforced.

Posted by: Antigone1000 | March 8, 2008 12:24 PM

You're right, Kelly. First you've got to have the laws and then, the tough part, the upholding of those laws. But you can't enforce a non-existent law.

Posted by: Mike Quinoa | March 8, 2008 02:56 PM

Now this is a delicious slice of progress.

Posted by: Ly | March 8, 2008 11:58 PM

Kelly,
You are absolutely right on!
We have laws that protect animals.
We must go throught the political process and introduce
bills that the Congress will vote on. How sad to think animals are politics and politics are animals. But that is a fact.
Without the laws we can't fight for them or protect them.
We must have laws.
Then we can at least make our move to stop the horrors going on with all animals.

Posted by: Judith, Freedom Fighter for Animals | March 9, 2008 12:38 PM

Rex's Mom hit the nail right on the head!!! The Governor of Idaho was quoted as saying *he* wanted to be the first one to take a shot at a wolf.....isn't that special? Blech!

It's not bad enough these wonderful creatures are great family-oriented "citizens" but to shoot them from above while sitting in a comfy seat in a helicopter?--are these men who are so eager to KILL defenseless animals blaming the wolf for leaving their Yellowstone Park boundaries and "trespassing" onto nearby ranches??? Good Grief!

It took years of lovingly dedicated work to regain a healthy population of wolves around Yellowstone today, and a few Macho Men with their Big Ol' Rifles are just chomping at the bit to slaughter them?

What a world!

Posted by: AgelessAnnie | March 9, 2008 08:01 PM

Rexs Mom and Ageless Annie,
We did all we could do. The petitions the letters the alerts, phone calls, faxes.
Bush/Cheney would not listen.
They are all monsters that murder wildlife.
They have their own agenda and it looks like they are going to start shooting the Bison in Yellowstone again after we all waged a war a year ago to stop it.
The land will be for the cattle only.
If they have their way, all land will be for the cattle.
And our wildlife as we once knew it will disappear all together.
This is down right murder.
They refuse to listen to the will of the people. Our voice's are seldom heard, with this group of crooks.
But we keep trying.
These bastards are ruthless murderers, as all hunters are.
Peace!
GO VEGAN!

Posted by: Judith, Freedom Fighter for Animals | March 9, 2008 10:44 PM

I think that Vick may have been the exception - most of these people fighting pitties are disturbed inner city youth. Unfortunately these problems can be even more complex than educating a bunch of well off meat eaters or educating people to adopt from shelters. The best thing for these dogs is to make it illegal to breed them.

Posted by: Maya, CVT | March 10, 2008 11:59 AM

Judith, RM and Annie, bravo!!

I'm saddened that the connection between endangered species and animal rights is often so far apart.

It would complicate PETA's mission to discuss these "environmental" issues, but the post where mountaintop removal mining was discussed, and killing of wolves, is important!!!

Maybe if PETA could address these issues, some groups like Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy and NRDC could do the same.

Millions of feral cats are being killed in the name of conservation. Wild animals are being bred in zoos for the same absurd reason. As a biologist I think this is disgusting.

I would love if PETA made sure their "heros" were not torturing wildlife as well! ;)

Namaste my friends! Keep up the good work!

Posted by: Maya, CVT | March 10, 2008 12:04 PM

I think that it's great that different animal welfare/rights groups have their own niches and come to the same issues in their own way. I know that many organizations have been working against dog fighting for years and it is a victory for animals.

Posted by: Elizabeth | March 10, 2008 03:55 PM

VICTORY!!!! I am thrilled! Even thought Vick did a horrific thing, it brought so much awareness everywhere, that is a positive thing!!

Posted by: Kris Shulfer | March 10, 2008 05:01 PM

I really have a question: What are the two states in which dog fighting is still not a felony?

Thanks,

Nancie

Posted by: Nancy Clementi | March 10, 2008 06:44 PM

kelly, read what I wrote. I never said we shouldn't have laws. I said that the laws aren't getting enforced. Quit assuming that everyone who doesn't say things in exactly the words you would use is a breeder, for pity's sake. You are so obsessed with hating breeders that you can't even see that I was saying that just putting laws on the books does no good. And in this instance, enforcement has never been a priority, even in the states that have had the laws on the books for years. Something else must be done, especially once the Vick case fades from the public's mind.

And if you disagree with my posts, you are actually a member of AKC and act like you hate them only as a cover! (Of course I don't actually believe that, but that's the sort of ridiculous leap you've made in response to others on the site who are just trying to express legitimate opinions.)

Posted by: Ashes | March 11, 2008 10:01 AM

Maya,
So very right you are.
I could not believe my ears when we listened to Bill Maher awhile ago when he said, Bush/Cheney were going to add mining along with hiking,
bird watching,and so many other activities.
Bush believes that "mining" is an "activity"?
These 2 are in desperate need of mental help.
PLEASE, someone make these mental midgets disappear.
A chopper needs to drop their butt's in Afghanistan.
They are killing everything that moves.
They are criminals and cold blooded murderers that kill farm animals, horses and wildlife including the Feral cats.
Do you have any idea how many Sea Mammals have died because of the F---ing Navy's sonar that Bush says we need so badly?
It's just awful.
Peace, Maya
Judith

Posted by: Judith, Freedom Fighter for Animals | March 11, 2008 03:34 PM