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Friday, August 29, 2008
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How to Report Suspected Dog Fighting

By eHow Legal Editor
 
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Instructions

  • Step 1:
    Report suspected breeders and kennel owners. Due to the underground nature of dog fighting, criminals will often operate under the guise of a kennel or breeder.
  • Step 2:
    Look for dogs, including but not limited to pit bulls, with multiple woulds, abscesses and scars. These are particularly found on the dogs' heads, throats and legs.
  • Step 3:
    Contact the authorities if you see physical evidence of training dogs to fight. Equipment includes treadmills to build cardiovascular strength, bars and bite sticks to pry open the dogs' jaws, heavy chains with weights to build upper body strength and owners who seem to switch dogs frequently.
  • Step 4:
    Tell police or your local humane society if you know about any upcoming fights and where they are located. Suspect dog fighting if you see people of different ages coming and going in groups to a home or other site. At fights there is a general party atmosphere where you would hear cheering and dogs barking. Also, you might see people bring dogs to the fight or leave with wounded dogs.
  • Step 5:
    Look at the property that houses the dogs, often a garage, warehouse or rural area. Typically dogs are kept chained outdoors just far enough apart that they cannot touch each other. If kept indoors, groups of dogs might be kept together in one area.
  • Step 6:
    Report blood spatters on the walls of garages, basements, barns or abandoned buildings that are suspected dog fighting sites. Be suspicious of blood on the ground especially near training equipment. Also report the remains of other animals that might have been used as bait.
  • Step 7:
    Learn the titles of dog-fighting periodicals. Some of them are "Face Your Dogs," "The Scratch Line," "The Pit Bull Chronicle" and "American Game Dog Times." Anyone receiving such periodicals might be considered suspicious.

Tips & Warnings

  • Contact police, animal control or the appropriate local agency if you suspect dog fighting even if you don't want to leave your name. You do not have to give your name to report suspected crimes.
  • Do not try to investigate dog fighting yourself. Fighters could be armed and the dogs themselves might be aggressive toward humans.
How to Report Suspected Dog Fighting Provided by eHow.com