Today my friend Maddy and I were watching a commercial on animal cruelty, and we started talking about how awful and sad it is. Usually when I think about animal cruelty I picture poor, little things that haven't eaten in so long you can see their bones! I think of owners who couldn't handle the responsibility or expense of a pet, but still got a whole house full of them any ways. There's also the wild animals that are targeted for their expensive fur. However, I never imagined dogs being severely beaten, abused, and released to fight 'til their death until I learned that this stuff actually happens. I think it's really important that more people become informed of what's really going on, or we'll never be able to fight against it to make it stop. Pit bulls are the main victims of this form of cruelty because of their muscular build and powerful jaws. How do people find entertainment in watching one of these beautiful dogs go down in a fight that they were never destined to be in? Some people argue that they were destined to fight. It has never been in a dog's nature to fight for no reason. They may occasionally fight over territory, but even dogs living in the wild respect one another and don't fight for the fun of it. Dogs used in fights are made aggressive by torture. They are taught to kill using small kittens or puppies as bait when they have been starved. The reality of this problem is so sad, and I urge any one who has witnessed anything similar to this to report to the police right away. Dog fighting is a serious felony, and if you report it there is a $5,000 reward!
Hopefully every person who has read this thinks that dog fighting is a disgusting and hateful crime. Just in case any one is still questioning how serious of a problem it is though, I've found this quote from Pit Bulls on the Web (an anti-dogfighting site):
"His face is a mass of deep cuts, as are his shoulders and neck. Both of his front legs have been broken, but Billy Bear isn't ready to quit. At the referee's signal, his master releases him, and unable to support himself on his front legs, he slides on his chest across the blood and urine stained carpet, propelled by his good hind legs, toward the opponent who rushes to meet him. Driven by instinct, intensive training and love for the owner who has brought him to this moment, Billy Bear drives himself painfully into the other dog's charge... Less than 20 minutes later, rendered useless by the other dog, Billy Bear lies spent beside his master, his stomach constricted with pain. He turns his head back towards the ring, his eyes glazed, searching for a last look at the other dog as he receives a bullet in his brain" (Brown, 66).
If you're interested in learning more about the American Pit Bull Terrier and how they became involved in this evil form of entertaining, you should take a look at the video called "Off the Chain," by Bobby J. Brown. It's a documentary that can explain in much more detail how dog fighting began and exactly what these animals are put through.
