Argumentative Essay: Reality Of Dog Fighting
“Reality of Dog Fighting” Even though dog fighting is illegal in most states, people still find a way to get around the law and continue to abuse and force dogs to fight for their lives; law enforcement should bring down these cruel operations. Dog fighting is not the only illegal thing that happens at these events. Not only is this an illegal act it is inhumane, but dog fighting also is a front for illegal gambling, selling of drugs, and firearms. What, exactly, is dog fighting? Dog fighting is a blood sport where two dogs, usually of the pit bull breed, are put into an area where they must fight for their lives and often times die in the process. Dog fighting happens for the sole reasons of entertainment or financial gain for spectators
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and the owners. It is amazing how these cruel crimes against dogs go unnoticed, or are just generally ignored by many. Dog fighting happens everywhere in the United States, mostly in urban and rural areas. The rich and the poor join these acts of crime. Even children are dragged to these fights. Yilmaz, Coskun, and Ertugrul in a shocking report say, “Almost all children interviewed in the ninth grade in a high school in Pontiac, Michigan had personally witnessed a dog fight. Most of them believed that there was nothing wrong with dog fighting. Those children were so desensitized to violence that they did not perceive it as morally wrong or cruel” (219). What do you think they are going to grow up to be? Some may become drug dealers and others become serial killers all because of something that has not been stopped.
Many believe that dog fighting is only done in poor areas and only the poverty stricken take part in these cruel games, but in reality dog fighting happens in all areas and even the rich take part in dog fighting.
This research is supported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who is now a Pittsburg Steelers quarterback, was convicted of dog fighting. However he was not caught or convicted for seven whole years, which was enough time for him to abuse and kill many dogs. Vick abused his dogs and trained them for the sole purpose of fighting against one another in a pit, and he encouraged them to cause a lot of damage to one another or even kill another canine. Dogs on Vick’s property were penned in small cages or chained to a buried car axle. It is said when the dogs were no longer useful or able to fight they were wet down and electrocuted, hanged, beaten, drowned, shot, or slammed against the ground. Vick is one of many famous people to join the dog fighting world and house underground fights …show more content…
(PETA).
The rules of this cruel practice explain all one needs to know about dog fighting and why it is so awful and inhumane. Yilmaz et al. identify the rules as: Generally, two dogs are put into a pit and they fight until one dog is declared the winner or one or both of the dogs die. A dog is declared a winner if it kills the other or if the other dog fails to ‘scratch’. “To clarify scratching, it is when the dogs cross the line in the center of the pit and attack each other. A dog is declared a loser when the dog fails to scratch”; secondly the owner calls the fight off. Thirdly, the death of one or both of the dogs, and fourthly one of the dogs jumps out of the pit, which usually results in the owner killing the dog because it is not fit to fight and is an embarrassment to the owner. Fights can last a few minutes or they can go on for hours depending on the condition of the dogs. Both dogs may suffer from puncture wounds, lacerations, blood loss, and broken bones but will continue to fight until one is dead, because that’s what they are trained to do. “It is proven that 16,000 dogs which equal 44 dogs a day, which are being killed by organized dog fights” (Yilmaz et al. 220).
Dog fighting may be illegal in all 50 states but if we do not take better actions into getting the word out about dog fights they will continue to happen. Many believe that dog fighting continues to happen, because it is a source of money for those people who gamble. The dog fighter themselves get half of the bets when their dog wins and those that gamble on that dog win the other half. It goes to show that dog fighting is done for the main reasons to profit those that kill innocent animals that have no say in the matter. Gambling is not the only thing that happens at dog fights that profits the people there; at many dog fights there is a front for selling drugs and firearms. This all leads to bigger problems in the community. You do not hear about these problems, because they go unnoticed, but we need to put an end to these fights not just for the dogs but for our safety too.
Animal cruelty experts estimated that tens of thousands of people are involved in professional dog fighting, and hundreds of thousands are participating in street fighting according to PETA. Correspondingly, street fighters spend less money on their dogs and condition them by starvation, physical abuse, isolation, and the use of stimulants that excite the dog. They do not care how the dogs become aggressive they just want them to win the fight and spend less of their profits on the dog. Street fighters are also more likely to be involved in gang activities. On the other hand you have professional fighters who invest a lot of money into conditioning their dogs. The dogs are given quality nutrition and basic veterinary care. They are also exercised under controlled conditions (Yilmaz et al. 220). Professionals may take care of their dogs better but no matter what, their use in dog fighting is wrong and should be stopped.
According to Smith in his section of Animals Are People Too any animal is considered property and is considered to have no feelings, but in reality they should have the right not to be treated as a thing, but as a living being. We have an obligation to care for these animals rather than treat them in such an inhumane way. Animals are people too! These dogs go through a lot during a fight. Many dogs suffer from puppy on up and usually die at a young age due to fighting. If the dog does not die it is forced to fight again and again and is used to breed puppies for a profit. Even the breeding methods are cruel because the female is strapped down on a so called “rape stand” to prevent them from fighting during mating and is then impregnated (PETA). The dogs injures are very severe and fatal like bruising, deep puncture wounds, and broken bones even. Dogs that fight usually die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection. A convicted dog fighter wrote, “Miss Rufus spent most of the rest of the fight on her back and Bandit broke her other front leg high up in the shoulder, as well as one of her back legs, in the knee joint. The only leg she did not break he chewed all to hell. He had literally scalped Miss Rufus, tearing a big chunk of skin off the top of her head alongside her ear (Humane Society).” As you can see dog fighting is very cruel and inhumane.
Canines that are used for dog fighting undergo a lot of training to win a fight. However, most of these ways are cruel and inhumane. Fighting dogs usually spend most of their life alone on short heavy chains or in small cages because they must be kept isolated from other dogs and only get attention when being trained (Gibson 2). The only time they come in contact with other dogs is when they are in the pit trying to kill each other. Fighting dogs are usually given legal and illegal drugs, including anabolic steroids to develop muscle and to cause aggression. Some fighters use stolen pets, wild or feral animals, or shelter animals as bait animals. These bait animals are usually wrapped in duct tape to prevent injury to their dog and are usually killed in the process of training. Dogs are usually trained at a young age so they begin to gain “gameness”. Dogfighters sometimes train their dogs by making them tread water, and run on a treadmill which develops cardiovascular muscle and endurance. A catmill or jenny is a device that allows the dog to chase a bait animal around in a circle and once the session is over the dog is rewarded with the bait animal. The catmill or jenny is used to build up speed, which comes from chasing the bait. A springpole or jumpole is a tool that allows the dog to hang from a pole that has bait on it for long periods of time, which allows the dog to strengthen its jaw muscle. Chains and weights are used to build muscle on the dog as they have to pull the weight around to move. All these tools are used to make the dog strong and are usually used every day without stopping for a rest or anything to drink or eat. These dogs go through a lot while training and if something is not done right the owner will usually continue training for long periods until it is corrected. If it is not corrected the dog will usually be killed inhumanely (Yilmaz et al. 221).
Under those circumstances many people believe a lot is being done to stop dog fighting because it is illegal but in reality, enough is not being done to stop this cruel and inhumane sport. This research is supported by Animal Legal and Historical Center. Many committees are targeting dog fighting by coordinating local and reginal dog fighting task forces and putting the word out, but is this enough to stop these crimes? Some places are developing police departments that have trained units to lead special missions only into dog fighting operations and to only find these operations (Gibson 6). Another thing that is being done in some places is public service campaigns in the community. All these things are great and can help, but they need to happen everywhere. Also going to schools and towns meetings, and talking about dog fighting could inform the community so they know what to look for and be able to report it if they do come across a dog fighting operation (Gibson 7).
It is hard to think that some people defend dog fighting and engage in these activities. According to dog fighters dog fighting is necessary and should be carried out. Even though these people are rare they still live in our communities (Yilmaz et al. 222). Dog fighters believe that it is right and should be happening to make a profit and to keep them on their feet. In reality it is easy to get a job if they would try, but they look for the easy way out and put other innocent lives on the line. They also look at it as entertainment and for something to do, but if a person really wants entertainment and are willing to spend money they could go to the mall, movies, out to eat, excreta. There is always something to do if you really look, and it is not something that involves killing a poor animal’s life for the gain of entertainment. The people who believe and think that this is right do not see that they are harming another’s life but look at it as profit. To stop dog fighters and make others believe it is wrong we need to make dog fighting known and known for what it truly is; a form of animal cruelty.
What can individuals do?
Do not just give dog fighters a slap on the wrist, because dog fighting is not just a spur -of - the- moment act, it is something that is happening a lot and is occurring all the time. Dog fighting is a cruel and inhumane practice and is something that should be taken seriously. Countless dog fights continue to happen every night and every day and mostly go unnoticed, unreported, uninvestigated or unprosecuted. Without action, dog fighting will never really come to an end. Ways to help include spreading the word about dog fighting to those who do not understand what it is. Learning how to spot the signs of dog fighting can also help. Call the local authorities to come investigate suspicious behavior. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website and donate so they can stop dog fighting for good. Help now and stand up against dog
fighting!
and the owners. It is amazing how these cruel crimes against dogs go unnoticed, or are just generally ignored by many. Dog fighting happens everywhere in the United States, mostly in urban and rural areas. The rich and the poor join these acts of crime. Even children are dragged to these fights. Yilmaz, Coskun, and Ertugrul in a shocking report say, “Almost all children interviewed in the ninth grade in a high school in Pontiac, Michigan had personally witnessed a dog fight. Most of them believed that there was nothing wrong with dog fighting. Those children were so desensitized to violence that they did not perceive it as morally wrong or cruel” (219). What do you think they are going to grow up to be? Some may become drug dealers and others become serial killers all because of something that has not been stopped.
Many believe that dog fighting is only done in poor areas and only the poverty stricken take part in these cruel games, but in reality dog fighting happens in all areas and even the rich take part in dog fighting.
This research is supported by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, who is now a Pittsburg Steelers quarterback, was convicted of dog fighting. However he was not caught or convicted for seven whole years, which was enough time for him to abuse and kill many dogs. Vick abused his dogs and trained them for the sole purpose of fighting against one another in a pit, and he encouraged them to cause a lot of damage to one another or even kill another canine. Dogs on Vick’s property were penned in small cages or chained to a buried car axle. It is said when the dogs were no longer useful or able to fight they were wet down and electrocuted, hanged, beaten, drowned, shot, or slammed against the ground. Vick is one of many famous people to join the dog fighting world and house underground fights …show more content…
(PETA).
The rules of this cruel practice explain all one needs to know about dog fighting and why it is so awful and inhumane. Yilmaz et al. identify the rules as: Generally, two dogs are put into a pit and they fight until one dog is declared the winner or one or both of the dogs die. A dog is declared a winner if it kills the other or if the other dog fails to ‘scratch’. “To clarify scratching, it is when the dogs cross the line in the center of the pit and attack each other. A dog is declared a loser when the dog fails to scratch”; secondly the owner calls the fight off. Thirdly, the death of one or both of the dogs, and fourthly one of the dogs jumps out of the pit, which usually results in the owner killing the dog because it is not fit to fight and is an embarrassment to the owner. Fights can last a few minutes or they can go on for hours depending on the condition of the dogs. Both dogs may suffer from puncture wounds, lacerations, blood loss, and broken bones but will continue to fight until one is dead, because that’s what they are trained to do. “It is proven that 16,000 dogs which equal 44 dogs a day, which are being killed by organized dog fights” (Yilmaz et al. 220).
Dog fighting may be illegal in all 50 states but if we do not take better actions into getting the word out about dog fights they will continue to happen. Many believe that dog fighting continues to happen, because it is a source of money for those people who gamble. The dog fighter themselves get half of the bets when their dog wins and those that gamble on that dog win the other half. It goes to show that dog fighting is done for the main reasons to profit those that kill innocent animals that have no say in the matter. Gambling is not the only thing that happens at dog fights that profits the people there; at many dog fights there is a front for selling drugs and firearms. This all leads to bigger problems in the community. You do not hear about these problems, because they go unnoticed, but we need to put an end to these fights not just for the dogs but for our safety too.
Animal cruelty experts estimated that tens of thousands of people are involved in professional dog fighting, and hundreds of thousands are participating in street fighting according to PETA. Correspondingly, street fighters spend less money on their dogs and condition them by starvation, physical abuse, isolation, and the use of stimulants that excite the dog. They do not care how the dogs become aggressive they just want them to win the fight and spend less of their profits on the dog. Street fighters are also more likely to be involved in gang activities. On the other hand you have professional fighters who invest a lot of money into conditioning their dogs. The dogs are given quality nutrition and basic veterinary care. They are also exercised under controlled conditions (Yilmaz et al. 220). Professionals may take care of their dogs better but no matter what, their use in dog fighting is wrong and should be stopped.
According to Smith in his section of Animals Are People Too any animal is considered property and is considered to have no feelings, but in reality they should have the right not to be treated as a thing, but as a living being. We have an obligation to care for these animals rather than treat them in such an inhumane way. Animals are people too! These dogs go through a lot during a fight. Many dogs suffer from puppy on up and usually die at a young age due to fighting. If the dog does not die it is forced to fight again and again and is used to breed puppies for a profit. Even the breeding methods are cruel because the female is strapped down on a so called “rape stand” to prevent them from fighting during mating and is then impregnated (PETA). The dogs injures are very severe and fatal like bruising, deep puncture wounds, and broken bones even. Dogs that fight usually die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection. A convicted dog fighter wrote, “Miss Rufus spent most of the rest of the fight on her back and Bandit broke her other front leg high up in the shoulder, as well as one of her back legs, in the knee joint. The only leg she did not break he chewed all to hell. He had literally scalped Miss Rufus, tearing a big chunk of skin off the top of her head alongside her ear (Humane Society).” As you can see dog fighting is very cruel and inhumane.
Canines that are used for dog fighting undergo a lot of training to win a fight. However, most of these ways are cruel and inhumane. Fighting dogs usually spend most of their life alone on short heavy chains or in small cages because they must be kept isolated from other dogs and only get attention when being trained (Gibson 2). The only time they come in contact with other dogs is when they are in the pit trying to kill each other. Fighting dogs are usually given legal and illegal drugs, including anabolic steroids to develop muscle and to cause aggression. Some fighters use stolen pets, wild or feral animals, or shelter animals as bait animals. These bait animals are usually wrapped in duct tape to prevent injury to their dog and are usually killed in the process of training. Dogs are usually trained at a young age so they begin to gain “gameness”. Dogfighters sometimes train their dogs by making them tread water, and run on a treadmill which develops cardiovascular muscle and endurance. A catmill or jenny is a device that allows the dog to chase a bait animal around in a circle and once the session is over the dog is rewarded with the bait animal. The catmill or jenny is used to build up speed, which comes from chasing the bait. A springpole or jumpole is a tool that allows the dog to hang from a pole that has bait on it for long periods of time, which allows the dog to strengthen its jaw muscle. Chains and weights are used to build muscle on the dog as they have to pull the weight around to move. All these tools are used to make the dog strong and are usually used every day without stopping for a rest or anything to drink or eat. These dogs go through a lot while training and if something is not done right the owner will usually continue training for long periods until it is corrected. If it is not corrected the dog will usually be killed inhumanely (Yilmaz et al. 221).
Under those circumstances many people believe a lot is being done to stop dog fighting because it is illegal but in reality, enough is not being done to stop this cruel and inhumane sport. This research is supported by Animal Legal and Historical Center. Many committees are targeting dog fighting by coordinating local and reginal dog fighting task forces and putting the word out, but is this enough to stop these crimes? Some places are developing police departments that have trained units to lead special missions only into dog fighting operations and to only find these operations (Gibson 6). Another thing that is being done in some places is public service campaigns in the community. All these things are great and can help, but they need to happen everywhere. Also going to schools and towns meetings, and talking about dog fighting could inform the community so they know what to look for and be able to report it if they do come across a dog fighting operation (Gibson 7).
It is hard to think that some people defend dog fighting and engage in these activities. According to dog fighters dog fighting is necessary and should be carried out. Even though these people are rare they still live in our communities (Yilmaz et al. 222). Dog fighters believe that it is right and should be happening to make a profit and to keep them on their feet. In reality it is easy to get a job if they would try, but they look for the easy way out and put other innocent lives on the line. They also look at it as entertainment and for something to do, but if a person really wants entertainment and are willing to spend money they could go to the mall, movies, out to eat, excreta. There is always something to do if you really look, and it is not something that involves killing a poor animal’s life for the gain of entertainment. The people who believe and think that this is right do not see that they are harming another’s life but look at it as profit. To stop dog fighters and make others believe it is wrong we need to make dog fighting known and known for what it truly is; a form of animal cruelty.
What can individuals do?
Do not just give dog fighters a slap on the wrist, because dog fighting is not just a spur -of - the- moment act, it is something that is happening a lot and is occurring all the time. Dog fighting is a cruel and inhumane practice and is something that should be taken seriously. Countless dog fights continue to happen every night and every day and mostly go unnoticed, unreported, uninvestigated or unprosecuted. Without action, dog fighting will never really come to an end. Ways to help include spreading the word about dog fighting to those who do not understand what it is. Learning how to spot the signs of dog fighting can also help. Call the local authorities to come investigate suspicious behavior. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website and donate so they can stop dog fighting for good. Help now and stand up against dog
fighting!