Nationwide attention has focused recently on the controversial dog fighting issue, and animal fighting contests in general, following the indictment of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. He is charged with engaging in competitive dogfighting, acquiring and training pit bulls specifically for fighting, and running the illegal activities across state lines.
The first response I had, and have not heard anywhere else, is how dumb does this guy have to be? He had a dream life, all the benefits of our society, lived in the upper crust of society, and he squandered his opportunity with barbaric, illegal, and immoral activities. He even reportedly went so far as to house, train, and run the dog fights on his own Virginia property.
Faux Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly has recently spotlighted Idaho and Wyoming as the only two states in America where dog fighting is not a felony. He failed to mention that we do have a misdemeanor law against the activity in Idaho, but I am not sure if it is a crime to attend a dog fight like it is in most other states. Any cops know the answer to that?
My question is why Idaho did not follow conventional practice and make this a felony? Has the issue just never come up in our legislature? Can anyone find a time when it was brought up and defeated by a legislative vote? This information is very critical to Idaho’s reputation. If it has never been brought up, then I think we can safely assume it was never considered common problem. If it was brought up and defeated, I think we have a problem, Boise.
Does anyone know of dog or animal fights in southeast Idaho? Have you ever attended one or seen one, or heck since this is anonymous have you ever run one? What do you have to say about pitting animals together in a bloodsport to the death?
I do not imagine it will be a big deal for our legislature to increase this crime from a misdemeanor to a felony. Which legislator will step forward and pledge to introduce this change next January?
Also, has anyone heard of dog fights, cock fights, or any other animal fights being busted around southeast Idaho over the past years?
What do you think?
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Gato got runned over by Marcus many moons ago. Be ye daft, 2486? 
Let's have a new poll, alright, Joe?
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
From what I’ve been reading, the big problem is not even that the dogs are made to fight each other to the death. Dogs are usually killed after fights even if they win. They are killed in barbaric ways like clubbing, electrocution, hanging, and plain bullets.
The people breeding these dogs for fighting allegedly will start testing puppy litters for aggressiveness, and will kill all the puppies that do not show enough aggression.
The dogs used in dog fights are usually pit bull terriers or bulldogs. Any dog can be made to fight, though, and any dog or other pet can have it’s mouth and paws taped, then thrown into the ring as bait for the fighting dogs.
Dog fights are also allegedly scenes of other illegal activities like drug deals and prostitution, so this activity could foster more crime in our society. Children are often exposed to the brutal bloodsport fighting.
Besides breeding dogs for fighting, some dog fighters apparently steal domestic dogs for fighting. So if your dog has ever gone missing, you have to wonder if it ever ended up in a barnyard dog fight? Small dogs, cats, and rabbits are apparently also stolen and used to bait aggression.
I recall seeing something on the news a year or two ago about a cock fighting ring that was busted in a potato cellar in Bingham county. All the spectators were hispanic migrant workers as cock fighting is apparently popular in Mexico.
Yeah I’ve heard that also. Somehow need to coax them into learning that isn’t acceptable in our culture.
From lack of comments, I guess not too many dog fighters come to this site 8^)
I guess we’ll have to google and research a bit when dog and animal fighting issues came up in the past, and why Idaho only has a misdemeanor instead of a felony for it.
I was wondering if some dog breeders should be more closely monitored? If someone breeds pit bulls, and those are known fighting dogs, maybe they should get inspected more often because that would seem a red flag?
My job has taken me away from Idaho, but I’m proud to be a graduate of the U.of I. and my family still lives in Idaho, so I think of it as home. Like many Americans I believed dog fighting was a troublesome, but limited problem. After the NFL sports hero, Michael Vick, received a federal indictment for dog fighting last week, I decided to learn more about the problem. I’ve spent time reading University and law enforcement studies about dog fighting and have come away stunned and sickened by its pervasiveness and back-turning acceptance in our society. I was also ashamed to discover Idaho is one of the two states where dog fighting is not a felony.
Dog fighting is not just a tussle between two dogs. The entire process from training, to the fight, to the killing of the dog is horrific animal torture. I have also learned there is a reason dog fighting is a felony in most states. It is a serious detriment to America’s communities. The presence of fighting dogs increases the risk of attacks, especially on children. Young children are sometimes exposed to brutal training methods and dog fights, promoting insensitivity to animal suffering, enthusiasm for violence, and a lack of respect for the law. Dog fighting attracts illegal gambling, weapons, and drugs, often the norm at these events. Idaho does not need these evils to seep into our communities because the crime is just a misdemeanor.
For the benefit of your Idaho’s communities, I urge you to contact your representatives to demand this crime be made a felony.
Amen.
Do you think dog fighting should be acceptable in any culture? Should it be called culuture if animals are made to fight? How about bull fighting? Search Google on that one. You would be shocked! A lot of people suck when in control of other living things.
I would like to “talk” with anyone involved with animal fights.
Put yourself in the animals’ shoes.
Not too much information coming forth on local dogfight or cockfight activities.
I encourage you all to ask around your friends and family if they have heard about it, maybe more information can be gleaned. I will try to remember to ask around also.
Many years ago (I’m talking the ’80’s here) I worked with someone that chanced to become involved in cockfights in this area. His involvement was limited to attending and betting on them. He never owned any chickens, but some of the stories he could tell were pretty explicit. In detail, cockfighting is very similar to the dogfighting we’re hearing about now. Lots of blood, guts and death. Typically the fights would take place at night at someone’s personal farm, in barns or cellars. I never cared to attend one myself, and have never heard of any since that time, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they still go on somewhere nearby. Back then, I believe that fights took place anywhere from Shelley to the Rigby-Ririe area, and maybe even over to the Mud Lake area, too.
There’s your first confession of knowledge of these things. lets see if anyone else has anything to add.
All you people from Idaho can take your potatoes and stick them … !!! Dog fighting is more humane than half the other things you do to your dogs! You breed them to be passive and non-agressive and be a slave to their masters bidding breaking and mutilating them by cutting off their testicles and removing their claws and vocal cords. And you have the audacity to say dog fighting is in-humane. You disgust me!!!
I didn’t want to use my real screenname on this one, but most of the regulars may know who I am anyways, which is fine. There’s just some people I work with I’d rather not tell this story to.
I’ve lived in S.FL most of my life, and with there being such a huge Hispanic population down there, dog and cock fighting was quite prevelant. The thing is, this is quite a common sport for many Cubans, Columbians, Brazialans, etc. It was also a common story on the news each month, cock-fights moreso than dogs, but both quite common.
I’ve have witnessed both and it’s definately not a sport for the squeamish. The roosters have these special claws that are attached to their already sharpened talons, which makes for a more bloody experience.
I certainly don’t advocate this gruesome sport, but it’s something people have been doing for thousands of years. It’s not acceptable in our culture because we’re so “pro-animal”, but it is accepted and practiced in many countries. The few dog & cock fights that I attended had no drugs, weapons or prostitutes involved. Personally, I think that’s a common misconception. Gambling is involved of course, but then that’s the whole point. For he most part there was a much older crowd of men & women that attended the cock-fights, and much younger crowd of mostly men that attend the dog fights.
I think its cruel but we have to remember that this is a normal practice among many cultures.
What about bull fighting in Mexico and Columbia? Why don’t people find that just as cruel and unusual? Why is it more widely accepted? The matador is regarded a very prestigious individual. (although it makes no sense to me!)
I even saw on Maximum Exposure one night where in India (I think it was India) they have horse fights. They put two males in the ring and then put a female that’s in heat in the middle of them and the two males fight over her. It was a prety violent scene.
I don’t see it ever becoming legal in this country. But I don’t see it ever going away. What do you think should become of Micheal Vick? He was obviously big time into this with his own dog kennels, fighting pens, etc. Should he be given jail time or just a hefty fine? I don’t see jail time as being the answer, but perhaps a hefty fine and making him participate in community service at an animal shelter.
Interesting topic.
Just because certain cultures, past or present, accept animal cruelty doesn’t mean we can’t change perceptions about the practice. Outlawing the practice & prosecuting offenders is a good first step.
But it takes education to really change peoples’ minds. It can be a long process, and maybe you have to wait until the old timers who still adhere to the “old ways” finally all naturally expire. Change can happen eventually.
I just heard the other day about the practice of female mutilation & how through education they’ve drastically reduced the number of Egyptian women who have it done, over the last decade. They hope to take what they’ve learned & apply in other countries where it’s still accepted.
These cultural practices can be eliminated, just not overnight.
There’s a big difference when it comes to harm to a human and harm to an animal. If you want to get technical, then outlaw hunting. Or go visit a chicken farm where they’ve got 40 thousand chickens crammed into a 50 x50 ft warehouse. Or go visit a slaughterhouse and see how your steak & hamburgers get to the table.
I mean c’mon….you’re comparing apples to oranges here!
I was comparing cultural practices & how to change them for the good of society. I wasn’t attempting to compare animal cruelty with female mutilation, although some extreme PETA members might.
sorry my bad! Usually that’s how most extremists think. Glad to see you’re not the “PETA” type.
Idaho Governor Butch Otter reportedly supports increasing the penalty for staging a dogfight from a misdemeanor to a felony.
This is good news, hopefully this can be done ASAP when the legislature reconvenes in January. However, the PR reported that Representative Tom Trail has tried to do this before and Idaho’s conservative legislature has resisted.
It remains to be seen if the other majority Republicans will get on board or stay behind on this issue.
This sounds like a good step, however shouldn’t the penalty also be increased for attending, betting on, and putting dogs into dog fights?
I am familiar with the area in which “my boy” Vick grew up and learned to treat dogs in such a cruel manner – we call it “the 757″ (area code) and more precisely “Bad Newz” (the town of Newport News). The law is very clear in VA – dog fighting is a felony, training dogs to fight is a felony, and spectating is a misdemeanor.
However, dog fighting is rampant in that area. It is part of a particular culture, and it has been allowed to continue only because it doesn’t affect people who aren’t of “that culture.”
Wake up, USA – enforce the law. If you are going to bust Vick – bust everyone who dog fights. Idaho, if you are going to pass this law – make sure you enforce it.
Nice how Otter wants to increase the penalties for dog fighting in Idaho; I wish he would take the same stance on protecting our kids from sexual predators. Apparently, Butch thinks Idaho’s current laws are sufficient to handle these menacing perverts but he wants to protect dogs. Seems his priorities are out of whack.
Nice to know “your boy” is such an evil man. People who raise dogs to do such things should be put away for a long long time. I hope he gets the minimum 7 years in the Federal pen for his crimes!
I mean c’mon, I had a dog fight at my house tonight,(like I do EVERY weekend) but you don’t see ME on the nightly news or Nancy Grace, AND nobody was hurt……..but my wife won as usual! Aiy yai yai!!!
Looks like he’s getting anywhere between parole and 5 years, but word on the street is 18 months. I have heard that the judge in this case usually gives the high end of the prosecution’s recommendation.
Which do y’all think is worse – killing the dog by hand, holding the fights, raising and training the dogs to kill? Next Monday we get a statement of facts from Vick – I’m willing to bet he did all three of these horrible acts.
I am not trying to defend anyone by saying it’s a part of their culture. Rather, I’m trying to say that dogfighting is a larger problem that won’t get taken care of if we only nab the celebrities.
is oj really gay?
Do you mean happy? I doubt it.
Forget OJ, he’s a loser. Back to dog fighting, I have never heard in the news what happened to all the dogs the Malad couple made disappear overnight when police came to the home, I believe with a warrant. Wonder what happened to them? Here’s the latest link from KPVI if no one knows what I am referring to. http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=7107053
Local News 8 reports that Idaho Falls Animal Control Supervisor Irene Brown described Idaho as being prime territory for professional dog fighters. She pointed out that only Idaho and Wyoming have low misdemeanor penalties for dog fighting, and that most cops don’t want to waste their time investigating dog fighting right now since the penalties are so low compared to so much investigative work required.
LN8 also reported that Idaho’s cattlemen’s association are resisting stiffer penalties because of some fear that their dogs nipping at cows and sheep will be considered fighting.
http://www.localnews8.com/global/story.asp?s=7569682
That sounds like a lame excuse to me, it illustrates how once again Idaho’s ranchers are working against progress in Idaho, and it makes me wonder if Idaho ranchers are the ones who run dog fights themselves?
Now, onto the comment about ranchers being involved in dog fighting. What’s with that? Ranchers need good cow dogs to help with the cows – they are as important as a horse. We spend good money on good dogs and horses to take care of the livestock. Why would a person who has a really well trained cow dog put him in fights intentionally? It can take years to train them to round up livestock.
I agree with Westernmom. Not to mention ranchers generally use blue heelers, austrailan shepards, etc. NOT pitbulls.
That is a good point, and hopefully it is simple to exclude instances of dogs nipping at cows and sheep 8^)
KPVI reported our legislature passed the dog fighting bill:
http://kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=7876605
It was almost a unanimous vote to increase dog fighting from a misdemeanor to a felony. Yay! Idaho is not last in at least that category now!
Why doesn’t Idaho care? To me this is the worst state in the world besides wyoming! All the people who abuse and neglect and have their animals fight are stupid and retarded! You know what when I grow up I’m going to be with the ASPCA and I gonna get all of you who ever lay a hand on an animal again. I swear if I catch you you’ll wish I hadn’t!!!!!!!!!
I am against animal abuse, neglect, and animal fighting. Therefore I will stop it!!! No matter what happens animal cruelty will be stopped!!!!
Uhhh, didn’t Idaho pass the law making dog fighting a felony? I didn’t hear a hubub about Otter not signing the bill, so I’m guessing he signed it and it is law now.
What are you referring to, Ashley? What more is it you want Idaho to do?
The legislature needs to go farther in protecting pets and domestic animals in general. There is far more of an ongoing problem with animals being abused and neglected by their idiotic owners than from dog fighting in Idaho. And quite often, if you have a slob owner abusing animals there is a good possibility they could be abusing their kids as well.
Otter did pass the law to make dog fighting a felony. A lot more needs to be done though. This law is limited to dog fights.