Dog fighting in the United States

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Dog fighting in the United States is a controversial and illegal activity. Arranged fights between two game dogs have been staged as a form of entertainment and gambling since at least the early 19th century in the United States; originally legal, it was gradually outlawed in all states but continues as an illegal underground activity in both rural and urban locations.[1] In the late 20th and early 21st century, research and criminal investigation showed that problems associated with dog fighting in the United States go beyond serious animal welfare violations to links with organized crime and social problems; police and animal control law enforcement task forces of primarily local and state authorities have been formed in many parts of the country to combat dog fighting rings. In 2007 the U.S. Congress passed a federal law against interstate dog fighting activities, providing for felony-level penalties including multi-year prison sentences and large fines for each offense; passage of this law was followed by the involvement of the Inspector General's Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in ongoing investigations around the country.

In April 2007 the illegal activity received widespread attention after evidence surfaced suggesting professional football player Michael Vick had a dog fighting ring operating on his property. The case resulted in guilty pleas by several individuals and to a single felony count for Vick, who received a 23-month federal sentence. Additional state felony charges against Vick and other were pending as of June, 2008.

History in U.S.

According to a study by the Michigan State University College of Law published in 2005, in the United States, dog fighting was once completely legal and was sanctioned and promoted during the colonial period (1600s through 1776) and continuing through the Victorian era in the late 19th century. The early 19th century saw the development in England of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, first imported into the United States ca. 1817. Organized dog fighting became a part of American culture, and was even condoned and promoted by the United Kennel Club. [2] As the activity grew in popularity, so too did opposition to its cruelty. By the early 20th century the United Kennel Club dropped its support and by the 1860s most states had made it illegal. It was not until 1976 that it was outlawed in all states and even then, enforcement was generally lax.[3]

By the late twentieth century, as dog fighting became more popular in the poor areas of major U.S. cities, research and investigations revealed strong links with connected with street gangs and social problems, enforcement efforts increased.[3]

Despite legality issues, dogs are still commonly used for fighting purposes all across the continent. The American Pit Bull Terrier is the most popular breed used for fighting, but foreign breeds, such as the Dogo Argentino (used widely in South America), and to a lesser extent, the Presa Canario are also gaining popularity. The Dogo Argentino is now often seen in dog fight circuits in areas of the United States where the American Pit Bull Terrier has been banned. In Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the APBT is banned, the Dogo Argentino has become the main fighting dog of choice, being used at both organized and street level dogfighting.

[edit] Impacts upon modern society

In the 21st century, dog fighting has become an objectionable and unlawful activity in most places around the world. The reasons fall into several broad categories, and each have motivated constituencies in many areas.

[edit] Animal welfare and rights

From an animal welfare standpoint, dog fighting is one of the most serious forms of animal abuse, not only for the violence that the dogs endure during and after the fights, but because they often suffer their entire lives. At least one major study alleges that the prevailing mind set among dog fighters is that, the more the dog suffers, the tougher he will become, and the better fighter he will therefore be. This position and the resulting treatment afforded the dogs stand in stark contrast with prevailing public values regarding the treatment of dogs in many civilized societies.

In addition to the controversial treatment a dog receives when he has potential as a fighter, according to a filing in U.S. District Court in Richmond by federal investigators in Virginia, which was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and published by the Baltimore Sun on July 6, 2007, a losing dog or one whose potential is considered unacceptable faces "being put to death by drowning, strangulation, hanging, gun shot, electrocution or some other method".[4]

During the furor arising around the Bad Newz Kennels investigation in Virginia in 2007 and revelations of extreme brutality there, even such diverse notables as hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and the Reverend Al Sharpton joined with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals {PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in calling for strong stands against animal cruelty, jointly stating:
“ Today, we sound a clarion call to all people: Stand up for what is right, and speak out against what is wrong. Dogfighting is unacceptable. Hurting animals for human pleasure or gain is despicable. Cruelty is just plain wrong.[5] ”

[edit] Stolen pets: bait animals

In addition to the fate which awaits fighters or even dogs likely to become fighters, often "bait" animals are used to test a dog's fighting instinct. The "bait" is mauled or killed in the process. Often "bait" animals are stolen pets, as officials with the Sheriff's Department in Pima County, Arizona say they were shocked to discover a few years ago, according to a story by National Geographic News.[6] According to news reports compiled by the National Humane Society, the snouts of bait dogs are wrapped with duct tape to prevent them from injuring pit bulls being trained for fighting. Some bait animals have been recovered with their teeth ground down to the gums to render them helpless against fighting dogs. Other animals, such as cats and rabbits are also reported to be used as "bait" for fighting dogs. Experts[Who?] have said small dogs, kittens, and rabbits are more at risk of being stolen for bait than larger animals.

National Geographic noted that there are no statistics on how many pets are taken and used as bait by dog fighting rings each year. Patricia Wagner, head of the National Illegal Animal Fighting Task Force for the Humane Society of the United States, offered the statement "I think every state has a problem with it, whether they know it or not."[6]

Despite over a century of publishing on dogfighting, including memoirs, keeps, histories and first hand accounts not a single case mentioning bait animals has ever been documented despite the activity of dog fighting being, if not legal, then at least ignored by the authorities[citation needed]. In an effort to raise awareness of dogfighting and marshall donations through fear various large organisations claiming to represent animal welfare began to mention the issue in the 1990s.[citation needed] Unfortunately various groups on the fringe of dogfighting, especially those related to gangs began to believe the stories and bait animals began to be seen. Despite commonsense that an animal trained to kill a bait animal would not withstand an assault from another trained to fight back[citation needed] the bait animal myth of training continues. The other victims are the owners, already grieving for their missing pets who are told their pets have been torn apart by dogfighters dogs when no objective evidence exists.

[edit] Dangers of training dogs for fighting

After a life of training as a fighting dog, if a dog does not suffer its death while in such service, a rehabilitation to become a pet is usually not practical or even feasible. In Richmond, Virginia, when a dog fighter was sentenced in June 2007, it was revealed in court that over a dozen of his dogs had to be euthanized, either because of serious illness, injury or malnutrition, or because their training as fighting dogs made them too dangerous for adoption. Until 2006, the man had kept 16 pit bulls in the backyard of his house, confined with heavy chains used for automobile towing. Experts say chaining the animals is a dogfighting technique for building strength. When an animal control officer arrived in response to a complaint from a neighbor that one of the dogs had died, he found the dead dog in a trash can. The others had no food, no clean water and no adequate shelter. Jody Jones, program manager of Richmond Animal Care and Control, said in court that the case produced more dogs euthanized than any other case she knows of from her 15-year career in animal control.[7][8][9]

Following the seizure of a large number of dogs in an April 2007 dog fighting case in Mississippi, Tara High, executive director of the Humane Society of South Mississippi said "The reality is that they've been used for entertainment. It's quite tragic for those of us that are kind of left to deal with it and the reality that these animals aren't going to be able to be rehabilitated," she said. Ms. High compared the animals to "a loaded weapon. And not something we feel very comfortable letting out into the community."[10]

[edit] Societal impact, gang, and criminal activities

For many years, even after it was outlawed, dog fighting was considered an isolated animal welfare issue, and as such was ignored, denied, or disregarded by law enforcement agencies. However, it has now been established that the dog fighting culture is often intimately connected to other criminal activity, with dog fighters frequently involved in organized crime, racketeering, drug distribution, or gangs, and dog fighting events often facilitating gambling and drug trafficking.[3]

According to the aforementioned Michigan State study,
“ Even seasoned law enforcement agents are consistently appalled by the atrocities that they encounter before, during, and after dog fights, yet the children in those communities are routinely exposed to the unfathomable violence that is inherent within the blood sport and become conditioned to believe that the violence is normal. Those children are systematically desensitized to the suffering, and ultimately become criminalized.[3] ”

[edit] Laws in U.S.

Dog fighting is unlawful in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Before the federal law was passed, New York already had issued felony penalties up to four years to individuals fighting any types of animals, but some other levels of participation were only misdemeanor offenses.

As of 2008, dog fighting is a felony in 49 states and a misdemeanor in Wyoming, although a bill that is advancing through its state legislature would make it a felony there as well.[11]

In most states, it is against the law (and often a felony) to even attend a dog fighting event, regardless of direct participation. According to authorities, dog fighting is increasingly practiced by gangs, and is linked to other unlawful activities, such as gambling.[12]

[edit] Breed specific legislation

Even though it is illegal, dog fighting still occurs across the globe. To combat dog fighting and the designation of so-called dangerous dog breeds, Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) has been passed in some countries and many townships and municipalities. However, BSL affects responsible pet owners more than those who keep dogs for fighting purposes. [13] [14] For those who keep dogs for fighting purposes, outlawing their dog's breed just encourages them to find another breed suitable for fighting or to keep their dog out of the public eye.[citation needed]

[edit] New federal law effective May 2007

In May 2007, a new federal law went into effect making interstate dog fighting activities felonious and providing for imprisonment and imposition of large fines. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, a new federal law, was enacted by the U.S. Congress earlier in 2007 and signed by President George W. Bush on May 3, making organizing a dog fight a felony. The law provides a penalty of up to three years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine for each offense of interstate or foreign transport of animals for fighting purposes. Using the provisions of the new law, which took effect immediately, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is pursuing cases in a number of locations around the country with considerable support from humane societies and local police departments.[15][16]

[edit] Widespread links to gangs, other criminal activities

The United States Humane Society estimates that more than 40,000 people across the country buy and sell fighting dogs and are involved in dogfighting activities. But authorities say those in dogfighting circles also are involved in a number of other crimes, including narcotics trafficking, illegal gambling and murder.[17] In August 2006, a suspected dog fighter in Texas bled to death after he was shot by intruders who apparently intended to torture him into revealing where he had hidden $100,000 wagered in a high-stakes dog match.[18]

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that an analysis during a study by the College of Law at Michigan State University found that, in more than two dozen raids on dogfights, in virtually every instance police also seized illegal narcotics and weapons.[19] Police seized $250,000 in cash during another 2004 raid in Covington, Georgia. "Law enforcement is realizing it's a real community problem, intertwined with other crimes such as drugs and gambling," John Goodwin, an official with the Humane Society stated in an interview for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaper published in June 2007.

Many communities in widespread areas across the United States are aggressively targeting dog fighting by coordinating local and regional dog fighting task forces.[3] "It's clear that when you have dogfighting, drugs and gambling and other criminal subcultures follow," according to Mark Plowden, a spokesman for the South Carolina Attorney General's Office, which in 2004 created a dogfighting task force.[18] In Chicago, Illinois, a special police unit is devoted to investigating cases of abuse due to the connection between dog fighting and other gang crimes. In 2005, the police in Los Angeles, California formed an Animal Cruelty Task Force, leading to prosecutions of gang members there for animal abuse.[19]

[edit] Professional athletes, entertainers

The subculture of dog fighting seems to attract gangster, male professional athletes. Among those linked to dog fighting is LeShon Johnson, former NFL running back, received a five-year deferred sentence in 2005 after officials seized 200 dogs during a raid of his dog fighting operation that led to 20 people being convicted in Oklahoma. Former National Basketball Association forward Qyntel Woods, pleaded guilty to animal abuse in 2005 at his home in Portland, Oregon. Former Dallas Cowboys lineman Nate Newton was arrested at a dogfight in Texas, although charges were later dropped.[19][20]

Currently, NFL quarterback Michael Vick is linked to property in southeastern Virginia where authorities believe a multi-state dog fighting operation was based. In an interview with WAVY-TV, Portsmouth, Virginia, Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis and a teammate, offensive tackle Chris Samuels, defended Vick. Portis said that if Vick is charged and convicted of dog fighting, "then you're putting him behind bars for no reason. I don't know if he was fighting dogs or not, but it's his property. It's his dog. If that's what he wants to do, do it." Those comments were sharply criticized by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.[21] The Redskins and Portis himself later apologized, stating that his controversial remarks about dog fighting were insensitive and that he now realizes he "shouldn't have made the comments." He added, "At that time I had no idea the love people have for animals, and I didn't consider it when I made those comments." [22]

New York Animal Control Officer Kleinfelder says, "For pro athletes, it's not about the money.... Instead of boxers just beating up on each other, they want to see it go to the death, and with dogs they can let it go that far. To them, dogs are expendable."[17]

Rhonda Evans is a sociologist and associate professor in the department of criminal justice at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who has published four academic articles on dog fighting. She stated in a story published by the Palm Beach Post that she had found that owners of high-dollar fighting dogs spanned all walks of life and social classes, with a common link of "a machismo mentality." Evans said "For them, tough dogs are a symbol of manhood... and by winning, the dogs build up their owners' ego. They see it as a valid, legitimate sport that is no worse than boxing or football."[20]

Rap and other urban music also seem to glorify dog fighting. Jay-Z shows dogs being prepared for a fight in the uncensored version of his music video, 99 Problems. A powerful-looking pit bull is on the cover of a CD by rapper DMX that is titled Grand Champ. "Grand Champ" is said to be a reference to a dog that has won five dogfights.

Madison Avenue advertising firms have capitalized on the same theme. When Nike was criticized about an ad featuring a growling pit bull and Rottweiler about to face off, the company denied the ad encourages dog fighting. The representative went on to state, however, "People have to understand the youth culture we cater to. Our market is the urban, edgy, hip-hop culture."[19]

[edit] Athletes speak out against dog fighting

International Boxing Federation Champion Steve Cunningham: "Dogs are truly Man's best friend. Yet some people take advantage of their loyalty by forcing them into dog fighting. It's disgusting and a heinous thing to do. It must be stopped. So join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting."[23]

Mixed Martial Arts Champion and Entrepreneur Tito Ortiz: "Animal abuse happens every day in the form of dog fighting. It's cruel, inhumane, and it needs to be stopped. Show your strength and join me, Tito Ortiz, The Huntington Beach Bad Boy, in Knocking Out Dog Fighting."[23]

Mixed Martial Arts Champion Andrei Arlovski: "The pit bull has a long history in America. In the early 1900's the U.S. proudly used pit bulls on WWI posters to symbolize qualities that make up America - friendly, courageous, hard working and worthy of respect. I chose my name because I admire the breed for the same reasons. When I hear about pit bulls being used in dog fighting, it makes me angry. I have a choice to step into the cage to fight, but these dogs have no choice. Dog fighting is morally wrong and inhumane. In my opinion it's torture. Please join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting."[23]

Mixed Martial Arts Champion Cung Le: "Dog fighting is cruel and inhumane and those who engage in it are losers. Show your strength and join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting."[23]

Mixed Martial Arts Champion Josh Thomson: "Torturing or abusing animals is not cool nor is it a sign of strength. Real fighters stand up for what is right to protect those less able to do so. Show your strength and join me in Knocking Out Dog Fighting."[23]

Mixed Martial Arts Champion Rob McCullough: "I choose to fight, but a lot of dogs don't get that choice. Knock Out Dog Fighting....cuz dog fighting is not cool."[23]

[edit] Increased enforcement, penalties

In recent times, a combination of animal rights groups and law enforcement agencies have drawn new attention to dog fighting and related criminal activities in the United States. A story in the New York Daily News published on June 10 2007, stated "dog fighting is a multi-million-dollar industry that is part of an underground subculture that holds its events in secret locations. It is extremely difficult for authorities to prove who has dogs for fighting purposes." A few weeks later, in Buffalo, New York, police and animal control officers at the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter rescued 15 pit bulls believed to be part of dogfighting activities during a two week period. Authorities found pit bulls — dead and alive — as well as "dogfighting kits", which include harnesses, muzzles, pre-fight training guides, stacks of breeding papers, and even videos on dogfighting. "We have been back to the same house three different times, and each time we pull out more and more dogs," said Animal Control Officer Andrew Kleinfelder. "Even when someone is arrested, a normal pit bull fighting ring has at least 30 people involved. Someone keeps the fights going."[17]

Recently, longer sentences have resulted in some dog fighting-related cases. In South Carolina, David Tant, breeder of fighting dogs, is serving a 30-year sentence, among the stiffest ever imposed for the crime. One of the "directional mines" he planted to keep people away from his dogs injured a land surveyor. "Fat Bill" Reynolds of Henry County, Virginia near Martinsville, publisher of American Gamedog Times, a dog fighting magazine with an Internet website, was convicted in 2001 of transmitting images of fighting dogs across state lines and sentenced to 30 months in prison.[18]

[edit] Major recent incidents

[edit] March 2007 Dayton Ohio

In March 2007, a combined federal, state and local law enforcement team disrupted a large dog fighting network in Dayton, Ohio which was operating in Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. The investigation of the operation based in Montgomery County, Ohio had lasted a year. More than two dozen arrests were made and more than 60 dogs were seized. In May, 7 persons in Ohio submitted guilty pleas to state charges. Sentencing was pending at the time of a USDA news release in June 2007.[24][25]

[edit] April 2007 Pass Christian, Mississippi

On April 24, authorities in Pass Christian, Mississippi raided a large dog fighting training compound owned by Maxwell Landry. According to several news stories on local television station WLOX, 17 persons were arrested and fighting dogs from Louisiana, crack cocaine and several other illicit drugs were found at the scene and confiscated. 44 pit bulls were seized. Landry once lived in Chalmette, Louisiana. After the area was damaged as a result of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he moved to the Harrison County, Mississippi site, located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Interstate 10. Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) discovered the dogs and the training compound during aerial surveillance relating to an investigation of drug trafficking.

Members of the Louisiana SPCA came to help take care of the dogs. Property owner Landry was one of 14 people named in a federal drug trafficking indictment involving activity between Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina. He faces to 43 counts of illegal dog fighting in Harrison County. John Wesley Black and Constance Jean Courtney could spend a minimum of one year in prison per illegal dog fighting charge, and are linked to two dog fighting allegations. Courtney was employed as a veterinarian's assistant. According to Harrison County Prosecutor Herman Cox, Landry has confessed to investigators that he made about $5,000 a month fighting his dogs against other dogs.[10]

[edit] April 2007 Surry, Virginia

On April 25, an investigation began in Virginia after evidence of a dog fighting ring turned up during a narcotics search of a 15-acre (61,000 m2) home and property owned by Michael Vick, a professional football player with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and a dog breeder. The original search began following several narcotics arrests of 26-year old Davon T. Boddie, Vick's cousin and cook, who had given authorities the address of Vick's property at 1915 Moonlight Road, Surry, Virginia as his home address when he was arrested.

The investigation eventually involved local, state and federal authorities. In late April, Vick told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution "I'm never at the house...I left the house with my family...They just haven't been doing the right thing... It's unfortunate I have to take the heat behind it. If I'm not there, I don't know what's going on."[26]

On July 2, 2007, agents of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) filed court documents describing a 5-year operation of an interstate dog fighting ring which called itself Bad Newz Kennels and had been based at Vick's property, which is located in southeastern Surry County a few miles northwest of the Isle of Wight County town of Smithfield.

No one was named individually in the July 2 court papers. WAVY-TV (Portsmouth, Virginia) posted a copy of one of the federal court document from July 2, and has made it available online at WAVY-TV online copy of July 2 document obtained under Freedom of Information request about the "Bad Newz Kennels" interstate dog fighting investigation.

On July 17, 2007, Vick and three men who were apparently his employees were indicted by a federal grand jury for "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting venture" known as "Bad Newz Kennels", operating over a period of six years from a base at a 15-acre (61,000 m2) property he owns near Smithfield, Virginia.[27] They face $350,000 in fines and six years in prison if convicted of the federal felony and misdemeanor charges. [28]

Details in the indictments describing extreme acts of brutality against losing and under-performing dogs included executions by electrocution, hanging, drowning, shooting, and blunt force resulting in widespread public protests and calls for Vick's removal from NFL play pending resolution by a diverse spectrum of notable persons and public officials. On July 23, Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him for an indefinite period pending investigation of possible violations of the league's Personal Conduct Policy. Atlanta Falcons team owner Arthur Blank has stated that Vick should give up thoughts of playing until the case is resolved.[29]

An arraignment and detention hearing was held on July 26 in U.S. District Court in Richmond. A trial date was set for November 26, and all four defendants were released without bond, but under the direct supervision of the court and under certain conditions. Federal prosecutors stated they will file a superseded indictment in August, which it was explained by a court official, may include additional charges and/or defendants. Possible separate state charges are still under investigation. The Surry County grand jury is expected to issue state indictments in September, according Sheriff Harold D. Brown. According to the Code of Virginia, various violations of the Virginia laws involving dog fighting and cruelty to companion animals [30] are considered class 6 felony crimes, each carrying a fine and 1 to 5 years in prison per offense. Over fifty dogs were seized, in addition to carcasses recovered during several searches of Vick's property.

On August 24, 2007 professional American football player Michael Vick plead guilty to running a dogfighting ring. He joins three others who had plead guilty earlier to running a competitive dogfighting ring called "Bad Newz Kennels", procuring and training pit bulls for fighting and conducting the enterprise across state lines. The four face up to five years in prison, fines of up to $250,000 and restitution.
For more details on this topic, see Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting investigation.

[edit] June 2007 Richmond, Virginia

In June 2007, a circuit court judge in Richmond, Virginia imposed a four-year prison sentence and $20,000 in fines on 40-year old Stacey A. Miller, an Army veteran and convicted dog fighter. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Miller was convicted in January by a jury of felony dogfighting, two counts of felony animal cruelty, a dozen counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty and two counts of possessing steroids. The jury recommended the four-year sentence and $20,000 in fines that the judge imposed. Miller also was ordered to pay Richmond Animal Care and Control $26,205.29 in restitution for the cost of caring for the 15 American pit bull terriers that were seized from him in February 2006, 12 of which had to be euthanized.[8][9]

[edit] July 2007 South Holland, Illinois

On July 13, 2007, police in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois rescued 37 fighting dogs from a heavily insulated and ventilated old chicken coop behind a house in the village of South Holland. At a news conference, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart stated that it was "the largest seizure of fighting dogs in state history."

According to the Chicago Tribune, an investigation began in May after police were informed that fighting dogs were being bred and raised at the home. Two workers for an animal shelter said that they had tipped off police. Officials close to the investigation confirmed their role. Neighbors told the news media that they had also called police to complain about barking from the barn and what was described as "a stench" by several. One neighbor said that he had called police several months ago after seeing a dog chained in the yard on a hot day without water. Another neighbor who lives across the street told reporters that he began seeing police in unmarked cars watching the home the several weeks earlier, and one investigator had interviewed him about a week before the raid. The Tribune reported that the neighbor said that he told the investigator "...the place was like a gas station, people coming and going constantly at night...I thought maybe he was dealing drugs."

Executing a warrant, a team formed by the Cook County sheriff's police special operations unit, Cook County animal control, and the South Holland Police Department entered the property and the soundproofed barn, seizing the dogs and evidence. They also found a boa constrictor snake and a substance suspected of being crack cocaine inside of the home, according to a WLS-TV (Chicago) news report.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the site had "all the makings of a sophisticated and professional dog fighting operation." It was noted that treadmills and weights were nearby for building strength, while a female dog was kept in a separate room where breeding was done. Drugs used to make them stronger and fight harder were also found. One of the dogs, larger than the pit bulls and described as "urine-soaked" with its hair falling out, was thought to be a "bait dog" used in training others.

WBBM radio news reported that the dogs seized in the raid ranged from weeks-old puppies to older dogs, some of whom suffered from physical injuries. Officers wore industrial masks Friday as they rescued the dogs, which were kept in pet transport carriers in the barn and positioned in a way that restricted sunlight. Several of the carriers had bite marks around their openings. Dart described the conditions inside the barn as horrible. "It's very difficult to breathe inside," he said. "The smell is overwhelming, and the conditions are deplorable."

Sheriff Dart said it was clear that the 29-year-old homeowner was an active ringleader on the dog-fighting circuit, breeding fighting dogs while renting out others for matches and raking in hundreds of dollars each time. Kevin Taylor was known to authorities. He has two prior convictions related to dog fighting, including cruelty to animals. He was convicted On June 15, 2007 in Livingston County after being arrested for attending dog fights near Pontiac in September 2005. According to news reports, a Livingston County jury convicted Taylor on a Class C misdemeanor charge. He paid a fine of $1,275 and spent six days in jail, a total that counts his initial arrest and subsequent arrests on bench warrants after he failed to show for court dates.

On July 14, Taylor was charged with 37 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, a felony count of possession of a controlled substance, a felony count of dog-fighting and two other misdemeanor charges, one count each of possession of dogs by a felon and owning sport fighting dogs. Sheriff Dart said that although Taylor is thought to have bred and trained the dogs to sell or rent there, evidence did not indicate that any dogfights took place at the South Holland location. On July 16, Cook County Circuit Judge Camille Willis set Taylor's bond at $100,000.[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]

[edit] U.S. Senators speak out

On July 19, 2007, U.S. Senator Robert Byrd, 89, of West Virginia, a well-known dog lover, gave a passionate speech in the U.S. Congress about the practice of dog fighting in response to the indictment of football player Michael Vick. Senator Byrd stated:
“ Dog fighting is a brutal, sadistic event motivated by barbarism of the worst sort and cruelty of the worst, worst, worst sadistic kind. One is left wondering, who are the real animals...the creatures inside the ring, or the creatures outside the ring."[40] ”

The following day, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts said he had sent a letter to the NFL commissioner calling for Vick's immediate suspension. Kerry wrote to Commissioner Roger Goodell:
“ Dogfighting is one of society's most barbaric and inhumane activities. ”

Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, also said he planned to introduce anti-dogfighting legislation. According to his office, Senator Kerry's proposal would make it illegal to transmit images of dogfighting, to run Web sites that cater to dogfighting, and to own or train dogs for the purpose of fighting under federal laws.[41]