Say No! To Dogfighting.

I have been surfing the web looking for game dog websites. A gamedog is a fighter. Someone will disagree with that statement, I am so sure. It is also used as a term for bird dogs. I am not using it for that purpose. I found websites that are fighting sites. Even though fighting is illegal, it is not illegal, evidently, to have a website.

The site I found called http://www.gamedogs.org/, was the most detailed. It has profiles of the "big wigs" in the bloodsport. A man called Don Mayfield, is held up to be almost a "god." There are others, but this man seems to be the one. It is amazing to me that this crap is allowed on the net. But, freedom of speech. As long as they have a disclaimer, it is alright. Such as, "we don't condone the sport." Such nonsense.

"Mr. Mayfield once was one of the country's most successful breeders and handlers of pit bulls for dogfights. The Internet is full of tributes to him. A man identified as Norman Kemmer wrote that Mr. Mayfield was " the greatest conditioner of all times" for fighting dogs." He is dead now, which doesn't hurt my feelings at all. But, he just passed his knowledge down to some other vicious cretin.

I am glad to see that Youtube is putting videos on to stop the bloodsport. There are some really cute vids on there showing Pits playing with their owners or other dogs. The fighting has to stop! But, unfortunately, I don't think it will ever stop. It is too entrenched in society's underworld. As long as people will watch dogs rip each other to pieces, people will continue to fight them for profit.


If you know of someone that is involved in this horrid bloodsport, or watches fights, you can go to http://www.hsus.org/ and report them anonymously. And, the best part, if they are convicted, you get $5000.00. Please do your part, as I am, to end the suffering of these animals that know no better, except to do what their cruel masters intend for them to do....fight to the death or till they get a bullet to the brain, which is the most humane way. But, humane is not in a fighters vocabulary.

Here is the disclaimer I was talking about. From http://www.gamedogs.com/.

Disclaimer
>>>(CLICK HERE)>>>Complete Disclaimer Must Read
NOTICE: The publisher of this website will endeavor to comply with any and all federal, state and local laws pertaining to depictions of cruelty to animals, promotion of dog fighting and/or any other activities deemed illegal by the Dept. of Justice.If any person or agency is aware of any violation of any laws or ordinances contained in or by the information on this web site or any of Gamedogs.Coms other products we urge you to notify the editor/publisher for immediate resolution.

Otherwise we will assume the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is still in effect and this publication will excerise its right to freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

God protect us against those enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC who would steal our Constitutional rights and our liberty! FREEDOM!

Where Are They Now?

I was reading my new Dog World magazine and was amazed to find out about where some of the Michael Vick dogs ended up and how they were adapting to a normal life. A life of love, not fear and gentleness instead of violence. The magazine focused on 5 of those 44 dogs. Gentle Jonny, Red, Gracie, Leo and Hector.


Believe it or not, Jonny is a dog that has gotten his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate and his Therapy dog title from Therapy Dog International. He is involved in a program called Paws for Tales, a reading program for children at a local San Fransisco library, listening to young people read out loud to him. He is a non-judgemental audience for these children, who are having trouble reading. It seems that children do better reading to a dog than a person. They know a dog won't judge them.


Grace or Gracie, does public relation work. Her job is to let people know that Pit Bulls are not all monsters. She travels to rally's and fundraisers to help promote her breed as loving, gentle dogs. Which they are if raised and bred right, they are one of the more people-friendly dog breeds. Leo, is another therapy dog. He works with at risk teen boys in San Jose CA.


Red is just a mellow fellow. He is used to teach dog safety in local schools sponsored by the Monterey County SPCA. He also has his CGC certificate. His foster handler said that stay was the hardest for him because he likes to follow people around and get love and pats.


Now Hector is a cuddle bug. It said that he just becomes a rag doll when he is picked up or a rub on his stomach. He works with domestic abuse victims. If a dog can come through the violence these dogs did, and survive, people can too. It said he thrives on getting petted

A Brave, Young Lady.

On Monday, the 2nd of Feb., I met a very courageous young lady. This was the girl that was attacked by Pit Bulls in Gallipolis on Jan. 26th. The dogs were killed by police in order to get them off her. She and her aunt came into Just Dogs! Gourmet to buy treats for the aunt's dogs. I had the opportunity to talk with this girl.

I noticed she was wearing a sling on one arm and the other arm showed what I thought looked like teeth marks. I asked her what happened, and she told me. As I listened to her relive her ordeal, I was so amazed at how together she was. She told me she had grown up around these two dogs, but the owner had been feeding them raw meat with gunpowder in it. (She didn't know this until after the fact) (She was supposed to feed the dogs while he was away.) This is indicative of someone that fights dogs. They do this to make the dogs uncontrollably vicious. Most of the time, the dogs turn on the owners. The gunpowder eats the brain, literally.

As we talked, she told me her doctors told her they were amazed at how well she is healing, both physically and mentally. I agree with the mental part, totally. She didn't seem to be horribly afraid and said she had only had one nightmare. But, the doctors said she would probably have more dreams and would probably have to talk to someone outside of the family. I told her that I have a therapist, and it is nothing to be ashamed of. Having someone to talk to outside of her family will help her deal with any feelings that she may have her family wouldn't understand.

She said that the man will probably go to prison for a "long time," as she put it. As he should. Dog fighting is a big "sport" in that area. Particularly in the back areas of Gallipolis and throughout Gallia County. These were two dogs that couldn't have been rehabilitated. Shooting them, sad as it was, was the best thing for them. For any fighters that might read this, you will be found, eventually, and put in prison! Remember that and I hope you spend your life looking over your shoulder! To everyone else; the HSUS (Humane Society of the U.S.) will give a $5000.00 reward to the person(s) who gives information that leads to a conviction of anyone fighting dogs.

My hat is off to this brave little girl. She is only 13, but acts much more mature. She is in my prayers.

All But A Few Are Recovering.

source: Sports Illustrated magazine

Everyone remembers Michael Vick, but what about the dogs that were rescued from the horror he and his cohorts put them through. Well, all but few, are recovering either in sanctuary's, foster care or adoptive homes. The few were the ones that were just too vicious to be placed in society. These are just like the prisoners that can't go into our society, they have to be put down.


There were 51 dogs seized from his property. I am not going to talk about that, though. He, (Vick), does not deserve any type of acknowledgment, whatsoever. I want to talk about the dogs. They are the victims, not him. When I got the new Sports Illustrated, I was totally shocked to see a Pit Bull on the cover. It is usually some sport figure, but not this one. Of course, I started reading the story.


It starts out by talking about Jasmine, a beautiful red Pit that, as they say, has problems. She hunkers down, tail tucked, when she approaches someone. But, she is with someone that is loving her and helping her adjust to a somewhat normal life. I knew PETA wanted all the dogs dead, but I was surprised when the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) sided with them. They don't think that dogs rescued from fight rings can be rehabilitated, but Vick's dogs are showing that they can.


It has been shown that if one animal suffers some atrocity, any animals that are near, or within hearing range, suffer too. So, all the animals, not just the ones being physically hurt or killed, suffered trauma.


Did you know, that Pit Bulls are among the most people-friendly animals on this planet. This is the truth. If a Pit is bred and raised right, they are fabulous dogs. I know this for a fact. I have been a Certified Master Groomer for many, many years and have been around a lot of Pits. They are great, loving creatures.


When these dogs were taken from the property in VA., they were dispersed into 6 animal control facilities in VA. They didn't live a very good life there, either. They were like people on death row, just forgotten and feared. They were caged 24 hours at a time, not even allowed out while their cages were being cleaned. They had to relieve themselves where they lived and tolerate their cages being hosed down while they were in them. People didn't know this, as I didn't. I assumed they were cared for with sensitivity. Not true! The kennel workers assumed that they were doomed to die, so they just didn't care. How sad!!

But, it seemed that they had celebrity status because of the sicko that owned them, so they got the media attention that saved the lives of all but a few. When Vick agreed to the plea agreement, he had to pay almost million dollars for the care and treatment of the dogs, and that included humane euthanasia. When he gave the money as restitution, the dogs went from deadly weapons to sad, pitiful victims.

Some of these dogs have gone on to be therapy dogs. Yes, I said therapy dogs. It did my heart good to see that line in the magazine. But some, like a dog named Lucas, will never be able to leave the sanctuary where he lives. His life was so, so brutal, that he will never be able to live a normal life, on the outside, just like some convicts. Here are the stats on the dogs. 47 of the 51 dogs were saved. 2 died in shelters, 1 was destroyed because it was too violent and another was euthanized for medical reasons. 22 dogs went to Best Friends Animal Rescue (where I just made a $25.00 donation today-12/30/08, by the way.) These dogs are monitored on a daily basis. Almost all show a steady improvement in 3 categories; calmness, sociability and most important of all, happiness.

The other 25 have been placed in permanent homes and the rest are in foster care. But, the dog that sits on the coveted spot on the front of the magazine, Jasmine, still is fighting demons. She won't let anyone approach her from behind. My personal feeling, and this is not in the magazine, it is because of being strapped in the rape stands. Dogs feel, remember that. For months this little dog, yes little, sat in her kennel at her new home, having to be picked up and taken outside to potty, then only doing that when her new owner left her. Then she would go to a hole in the yard and just lay in it. This is from being tied out in the woods with no cover. It took months for her to come out of her kennel on her own. But then she would only potty and then lie in the hole. But, she is coming along with the love of her caretaker and her doggie friend from the same place, Sweet Pea. They have play dates once or twice a month.

I will end this with a saying by Gandhi: "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

Will The New GA. Dog Fighting Laws Hold Up?

source: HSUS website.


Madison County, Ga. — The Madison County Sheriff's Office, acting on intelligence provided by The Humane Society of the United States, raided "Shake Down Kennels," an alleged dogfighting operation in Danielsville, Ga. Johnny Johnson, the apparent owner of the operation, was arrested and charged with felony dogfighting. Authorities seized seven dogs along with suspected dogfighting paraphernalia.

"Today's raid is the first salvo in what we hope will be a long list of law enforcement actions that utilize Georgia's newly strengthened law to end the horrible spectacle of dogfighting in the state," said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for The HSUS. "The Madison County Sheriff's Office deserves great recognition for taking such quick action against a suspected dogfighting operation. The raid shows that once law enforcement is given the necessary tools, they are ready and able to bring animal fighters to justice."

Information regarding Shake Down Kennels was first provided to The HSUS via its tip line, 877-TIP-HSUS. The HSUS animal fighting tip line was established as a pro-bono venture by Atlanta-based security firm Norred & Associates in the wake of the Michael Vick case so that Georgia residents can easily report illegal animal fighting to authorities.


You can go to the HSUS website and order an information packet that includes reward posters and brochures that you can put out to let people know that the HSUS offers a $5000.00 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone that is fighting dogs or that attends a dogfight. If you know of someone that is breeding dogs to fight, fighting dogs or is attending dogfights, call the number in the paragraph above this one. You can remain anonymous.


I see so many people in our area that are selling Pit Bull puppies. If you are intent on getting one, please, please look at the bloodlines. If you find any of these bloodlines, don't buy and report the breeder. The fighting bloodlines are: Redboy-Jocko (shortened to RBJ in many classified ads), Jeep, Mayday, Barracuda, Chinaman, Frisco, Eli. There are more. But these are the most prominent. I have met some really nice Pits, but I also have met some that were so vicious they needed to be put down. The people that owned these dogs didn't fight them, they just didn't do the research and bought from a backyard breeder, because they "wanted one so bad."

One Year Anniversary Of The Michael Vick Raid.

Some of this information was gathered from an email sent to me from the HSUS website.

Did you realize that today marks the one year anniversary of the Michael Vick Dogfighting Ring bust? I didn't until I got an email from the Humane Society of the United States today. One very positive note is that raids on dogfighting operations rose from 27 between Jan. and April of last year, to at least 67 busts to date in 2008.

Also, 2 of the states that had been the last holdout with weak penalties for fighting crimes, made dogfighting a felony offense. The states are Wyoming and Idaho. Stronger laws also were passed in Ga., IA., MD., OR., and VA. This was part of a wave of 26 states considering legislation to make stiffer penalties for dogfighting.

The HSUS gives a reward of up to $5,000.00 to anyone that turns in a dogfighter and they are convicted. You can remain anonymous. The number to call is: 202-452-1100. The rewards are made possible by the Ware Foundation and donors to HSUS. The great news is they paid out 20 rewards and have some pending. Fabulous work!

Last but not least, the HSUS helped train over 700 law enforcement officers on animal fighting and made a new video about the subject.

What a Joke.

It never ceases to amaze me how our judicial system works. The state dogfighting charges against Michael Vick and the 2 other men convicted on Federal dogfighting charges, have been delayed. Now get this, because it is up to the Surry County VA. Commonwealth District Attorney's office to figure out how to transport them to VA. to face the State charges. And he doesn't know how to work out the "logistics" to do this.

This is utterly ridiculous. One of the men has already been released from Federal prison, after serving a 2 month sentence. At least Vick is serving 23 months in Federal prison for his horrendous acts. Just an update.

Not Long Enough!

One of the men sentenced in the Michael Vick dog fighting case was released from federal prison Thursday after completing his 2 month sentence. Just 2 months, how ridiculous! He cooperated with the Federal government to testify against Vick and 2 other men.


Vick is serving a 23 month sentence in one of the toughest prisons in America, the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, KS. Personally, I think the sentence is too light. But, with the conviction of this idiot, dog fighting has been brought out of the shadows and into the public eye.


It is a shame that it takes someone famous getting caught to shed light on this horrid blood sport. Dog fighting has been going on for centuries, literally! You can find out more about dog fighting and the law in earlier posts on this blog.

I Wanted To Share This Information With Everyone.

I saw an ad in the Herald Dispatch classifieds the other day for Pit Bull puppies, specifying a particular bloodline. Curiosity got the better of me, so I emailed John Goodwin at the Humane Society of the United States about fighting dog bloodlines. Here is his reply.

"Tamara, There are some pretty prominent dog fighters in WV. But the Razors Edge and Gotti dogs aren't generally fighters. Those are what they call "blue" pit bulls, due to their bluish fur. They are larger and slower than the smaller fighting dogs, and don't show the game "gameness", the same drive to stay in the fight, even when severely injured. Some of the more popular fighting bloodlines are Redboy-Jocko (shortened to RBJ in many classified ads), Jeep, Mayday, Barracuda, Chinaman, Frisco, Eli and others."

It is disturbing to know that WV has many prominent dog fighters. If anyone has any information on any dogfighting ring busts in WV, please post the information. Thanks.

Dogfighting Down For The Count.

Some ran endlessly around well-worn circular paths—their small worlds circumscribed by the lengths of their heavy chains. Others leapt maniacally to the tops of their chain-link kennel confines. All were frantic for human attention and seemingly half-mad from their lives of isolation and confinement. These are the dogs who greeted officials from Pima County Sheriffs Department, The HSUS, and the Humane Society of Southern Arizona during an orchestrated takedown of some of the largest players in the world of underground dogfighting.


Orchestrated Takedown
The Feb. 19 raids were the culmination of a nearly year-long investigation by The HSUS and the Pima County Sheriff's Department. Conducted simultaneously at four Tucson-area locations, they resulted in the arrests of six people, including Mahlon "Pat" Patrick, one of the most notorious figures in dogfighting, whose involvement in the blood sport stretches back to 1968. Also targeted and arrested during the Tucson raids were Patrick's alleged dogfighting cohort, Emily Dennis, as well as two other big players in professional dogfighting: T.L. Williams and Bobby Smith. All were charged with felony dogfighting and face up to two years in prison and up to $150,000 in fines if convicted. The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States said that the dogs found during the Tucson raids lived in decrepit conditions and cruel isolation.


Ringleaders
With the arrests of these dogfighting kingpins, one of the most important underground dogfighting networks in the U.S. has been effectively dismantled. As a supplier of several major fighting-dog bloodlines, Patrick holds a status among professional dogfighters ranking second perhaps only to the infamous Floyd Boudreaux, who currently awaits trial on felony dogfighting charges after a 2005 raid on his Louisiana property put him out of business. Like Patrick, Williams and Smith have been entrenched in the world of underground dogfighting for decades—breeding pitbulls and operating the second-largest game dog registry in the country, constructed to help dogfighters trace the bloodlines of fighting dogs and turn profits off their breeding. Together, the three men together may be responsible for the deaths of countless thousands of dogs during their decades-long reign. "This was a well-established, organized, criminal enterprise that profited off the blood of innocent dogs," said Chris Schindler, The HSUS' deputy manager of animal fighting law enforcement. "The repercussions this raid will have on the world of underground dogfighting are incalculable."


Extensive Evidence
Aside from the scores of scarred, injured and neglected dogs, Pima County Sheriff's deputies seized mounds of dogfighting documents, dogfighting paraphernalia (including medications, treadmills, "rape stands" for breeding, and breaking sticks to pry apart a dog's clamped-down jaws) and at least 50 guns. As for the dogs themselves, after a lifetime of isolation interrupted only by periodic, bloody bouts in the fighting pit, most had nothing but affection and sloppy kisses for their rescuers. For these dogs and the countless thousands of others who die for organized dogfighting every year, ensuring a swift and decisive prosecution of their tormentors remains the most important task at hand.

Support Legislation To Stop Dogfighting.

The last part of the Final Farm Bill.
In early 2007, after a six-year campaign by The Humane Society of the United States, Congress enacted a law to upgrade the penalties for interstate movement of animals for fighting, from a misdemeanor to a felony, and also to ban the interstate commerce in cockfighting weapons. In the wake of the high-profile indictment of NFL quarterback Michael Vick on federal dogfighting charges, and the national outrage over dogfighting crimes, new legislation has been proposed to further strengthen the nation’s laws to combat the cruel practice of dogfighting.


Three bills—S.1880, introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA); H.R. 3219, the Dog Fighting Prohibition Act, by Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH); and H.R. 3327, the Federal Dog Protection Act, by Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-CA) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)—would make all participation in dogfighting, including being a spectator at a dogfight and possessing dogs for the purpose of fighting, a federal felony, and would increase the maximum penalty from three years to five years in prison. The Humane Society of the United States urges members of Congress to support S. 1880, H.R. 3219, and H.R. 3327.


Dogfighting is an inhumane and barbaric activity. In a typical fight, dogs are drugged to heighten their aggression and forced to keep fighting even after suffering broken legs, puncture wounds, dehydration, severe blood loss, and shock – all for the amusement and illegal wagering of handlers and spectators. Dogfighting is also associated with other criminal conduct, such as drug traffic, illegal firearms use, and violence toward people. Children are often present at these spectacles. Some dogfighters steal pets to use as bait for training their dogs; some allow trained fighting dogs to roam neighborhoods and endanger the public. A federal dogfighting ban is warranted. As demonstrated in the Vick indictment – and by the many law enforcement records, animal welfare reports, and economic studies – the dogfighting industry has become nationwide in scope, and Congress is well within its authority to address both the nationwide framework and localized branches that are a critical part of that extensive criminal venture.


In 2005, the Supreme Court made clear in Gonzales v. Raich that Congress’ authority under the Commerce Clause extends to local activities that are an integral component of interstate criminal activities. The high-stakes gambling, sales of fighting dogs for as much as tens of thousands of dollars per animal, sale of “stud” privileges for mating with winning dogs, traffic in specialized equipment to train and house fighting dogs, handling, training, and courier services to transport dogs to matches are among the ways that dogfighting – an inherently commercial and economic activity – substantially affects interstate commerce. In addition, dogfighting burdens interstate commerce by increasing the risk of injury or disease to both animals and humans, including dog bites, rabies, heartworms, and harm to stolen pets used as bait, as well as the enormous financial burden that dogfighting puts on animal shelters as they struggle to care for abandoned fighting dogs.

Man Who Sold Pit Bull To Vick Gets Probation.

Source: Herald-Dispatch.com

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A man who sold a female pit bull to Michael Vick’s dogfighting operation and attended some of the fights escaped prison time Friday because he cooperated with investigators and did not physically harm any of the dogs. Oscar Allen, 67, was sentenced to three years probation and fined $500 for his limited involvement in the Bad Newz Kennels dogfighting ring that operated out of Vick’s 15-acre spread in rural Surry County. Vick was sentenced in December to 23 months in federal prison. Three co-defendants also have been sentenced to prison terms. “Your case is in a clearly different class than the other defendants who’ve appeared before me,” U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson told Allen. “But for your cooperation the case would not have developed as smoothly and completely as it did.” Allen, from the Williamsburg area, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to travel interstate commerce to aid in illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting — the same charge to which Vick and the other three men pleaded guilty. Allen faced a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but federal prosecutors recommended that he spend no time in prison because he cooperated with investigators, had no prior criminal record and was a minor player in Vick’s dogfighting enterprise. “He came in and cooperated without any immunity or protection, knowing he would be charged,” said prosecutor Michael Gill. He said information supplied by Allen was “a significant factor” in obtaining guilty pleas from Vick and the others. Prosecutors said that while Allen helped conduct test fights to determine which dogs were good fighters, he was not involved in killing the six to eight that performed poorly. “I see no evidence of any cruel acts toward animals in this case,” Hudson said. The judge told Allen that the light punishment did not mean he condoned Allen’s behavior. “You clearly aided and abetted this conspiracy,” he said. Asked if he had anything to say, Allen told Hudson: “I would just like to apologize to the court for my actions and say I am very sorry.” Allen was indicted separately from Vick and three co-defendants. Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach was sentenced to 18 months, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta to 21 months and Tony Taylor of Hampton, Va., to 2 months. Those four men also face state animal cruelty charges in Surry County. Vick’s trial is set for April 2. Vick, who admitted bankrolling the dogfighting operation and helping execute dogs, entered a minimum-security prison in Leavenworth, Kan., earlier this month.

Voice Your Opinion About Tougher Animal Laws.

source: source: http://www.hsus.org/.

It seems that since the arrest, conviction and longer than expected sentence for quarterback Michael Vick, new laws are being introduced to strengthen the animal cruelty laws in all states. Activist are riding the huge wave of national publicity trying to get tougher laws on the books for people who organize and/or watch animal fights. Also to give law enforcement more power to find and arrest them.

Virginia has been in the news quite a bit lately starting with the Vick fiasco. Then a huge puppy mill was busted. Over a 1,000 dogs were found in cages and deplorable conditions. "The Humane Society estimates that 40,000 people nationwide are involved in organized dog-fighting, with an additional 100,000 people involved at the street level." In total, they fight more than 250,000 dogs each year. Remember that total. Your voice to your congressman/woman will work. Just email or write and let them know how you feel about the slackness of laws on animal abuse.

WV is one of the most prolific dog fighting states out there. Bet you didn't know that. But, sadly, it is true. Plus, our state was in the spotlight this year when a puppy mill was raided and over 700 dogs were found in horrid conditions. This kennel had been run since the 60's. I personally, have tried to get her stopped, but at the time I was trying, I didn't have any pull with anyone. I was just someone who "didn't know what she was talking about," back then. But now, I have the HSUS behind me, and this great opportunity with my blog. So, please, if you see anything that isn't right, call your local authorities or animal control.

http://www.rahall.house.gov/

http://www.rockefeller.gov/