Cantwell's Bill to End Animal Fighting Heads to President for Signature
WASHINGTON, DC - Tuesday evening, the Senate passed U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's legislation to enact tough new federal anti-animal fighting laws. The measure has already passed the House, meaning it is now headed to the president's desk for his signature.
"We've waited six years to see this legislation signed into law. With this law, we can clamp down on these cruel, inhumane practices," said Cantwell. "Our nation should have a zero tolerance policy for this cruelty and I hope the president will sign this bill immediately."
Cantwell's bipartisan Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act calls for felony-level penalties of up to three years in jail for knowingly buying, selling, or transporting animals for the purpose of fighting. It would also make it a felony to knowingly sponsor or exhibit an animal fight, or to buy, sell, or transport weapons for animal fighting. Currently, violating many federal animal-fighting laws only carries a misdemeanor-level punishment of no more than a year in jail.
In 2004, Vancouver police found 21 pit bulls along with other evidence of animal fighting in a Vancouver basement. While building their case, prosecutors found a loophole in state law: entering a dog into a fight was a felony, but possessing or training animals for fights carried a far lighter sentence. In May 2005, Governor Gregoire signed an anti-animal fighting bill inspired in part by the Vancouver case. The new state law makes owning, breeding, training, buying, or selling animals for the purpose of fighting a felony. It also makes it a felony to organize or advertise an animal fight, to transport spectators to fights, and to act as a stakeholder for money wagered on animal fights.
Cantwell's legislation would implement a similar law at the federal level, bringing federal penalties in line with existing penalties in Washington and most other states. Dog fighting is a felony in 48 states while cockfighting is a felony in 33 states. Cockfighting is only legal in Louisiana; no states allow dog fighting.
Animal fighting often has connections to other illegal activities, including drug trafficking, unlawful gambling, and illegal firearms use. Children are often present at fights, and dogfighters sometimes steal pets to use as bait while training their dogs. Chickens used in fighting pose a risk of transmitting diseases among animals as well as people. Cantwell's bipartisan bill is endorsed by National Sheriffs' Association, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the poultry industry, and dozens of local law enforcement agencies from across the country.
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