The NSPCA: Dogfighting - SA's dirty little secret V18
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The NSPCA:
Dogfighting
- SA’s dirty little secret V18
Dogs are regarded as man's best friend and What is dogfighting? Sometimes the dogfighting includes
many dogs enjoy an environment that offers Dogfighting can be defined as a sadistic betting, but the dogs serve more as sta-
them the companionship of other dogs and "contest" in which two dogs, which have tus symbols and fight results are more
humans who love, cherish and take care of been specifically bred and trained to of a boost for the handlers' own image
fight, are placed in a small arena to fight and street credibility within a neigh-
them. Unfortunately, however, there are
each other for the entertainment of bourhood.
dogs that never know this love and care, as
spectators and for gambling purposes. It n Dogfighting as a hobby - the
they suffer alone in the cruel underworld of is an incredibly violent organised crime hobbyist tends to purchase dogs of
dogfighting. These dogs are owned by peo- that is most often linked to other crim- average ability and enter them in local
ple who subject them to chaining, torment, inal activities. and regional matches, with the objective
injury and even torture in order to trigger of regaining the purchase price as quick-
extreme survival instincts and encourage Categories of dogfighting ly as possible through bets. In this cate-
aggression. Sometimes, their fate is a fight There are three broad categories of gory, a greater emphasis is placed on the
to the death, often with tens of thousands of dogfighting: animal's breeding as well as on the
n Street level dogfighting - this gambling involved.
rands at stake.
appears locally and is usually linked to n Professional dogfighting - this is
By Kotie Geldenhuys gang activities where people boast the most sophisticated of the three cat-
about their dogs' strength and fighting egories and is often conducted on a
D
ogfighting is illegal and unfolds in secrecy. Those abilities. It is largely unstructured and national and international level. In this
community members who know about it are involves impromptu fights initiated in category it is all about the dog's blood-
too scared to speak out. From time to time one parks, alleys and mine dumps. line, and vast amounts of money are
hears reports about dogfighting, more now than in the invested by owners in the breeding,
past, but is it such a big issue? The reality is that dogfight- training and fighting of their dogs. They
ing in South Africa has “blossomed” over the past few participate in high-stake matches featur-
years. “The reported incident numbers grew rapidly in a ing experienced fighting dogs with
short space of time by about 500%,” Wendy Willson from established bloodlines. They are very
the NSPCA told SERVAMUS. well informed about welfare organisa-
tions, law enforcement agencies and any
organisations that pose a threat to their
activities. To the rich, it's not only about
money; it's also about prestige and
owning the top dog.
No matter what category of dogfighting
is being practised, the result is always
the same: horrific wounds, crushing
injuries, broken bones, loss of blood and
often death.
Organised crime
Dogfighting is a form of organised
Signs of severe abuse crime. It is a huge industry with an
February 2014 ervamus 49
The NSPCA told SERVAMUS that it is not chain preventing her from fleeing the pit bull that
easy to calculate the amount of money kept savaging her. This dog appears on video
involved in dogfighting. Gambling is a big part footage recorded on a cellphone, which shows
of dogfighting and, sometimes, bets take how she attempted in vain to escape the
place over the Internet.There are substantial American pit bull that had been set on her for
amounts of money involved, especially where "fight training". (The photos confirm the tragic
dogfighting events take place on a profes- events - see the two top photos on this page.)
sional level. Prizes for winners can be as sub- This innocent animal, like so many others, is what
stantial as double-cab bakkies," Wendy says. is referred to as a "bait dog". The footage shows
a pit bull being released and incited to attack a
According to the American Society for the terrified bait dog whose mouth is tightly taped
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), it shut.The pit bull grabs her by the face and, while
is not unusual for an amount between she attempts to escape, she is pulled back by one
$20 000 and $30 000 to change hands of the men holding the thick chain around her
during a single fight. Stud fees and the sale of neck.The wounds to her face and ear are exten-
pups from promising bloodlines can also sive. It is believed that the dog was used in fur-
bring in thousands of dollars ther dog-baiting sessions and was eventually fin-
(www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/dog-fighting/ ished off by a pit bull when the handlers decided
dog-fighting-faq). that she was too badly injured to carry on. This
video clip led to the arrest of eight people in
Spectators at dogfights provide much of the Atteridgeville, Pretoria in December 2013 and
profit associated with dogfighting.The money the rescue of seven dogs, as well as a badly
generated by admission fees and gambling injured bait dog (see below). (See the bottom
helps to keep this cruel "sport" alive. These photo on this page.)
spectators are "willing participants" who
support a criminal activity through their paid Breeding dogs to fight
admission and attendance. Dogs used in dogfighting have been specifically
bred and trained for fighting and are unrelenting
In addition to the illegal animal fighting and in their attempts to overcome their opponents.
cruelty involved, police raids have demon- With their extremely powerful jaws, they are
strated that illegal gambling is the norm at able to inflict severe bruising and deep puncture
these gatherings. Other possible violations wounds, and can even break bones.
include possession of stolen property; manu-
facture, possession or distribution of con- The American pit bull terrier has become the
trolled substances; unlicensed alcohol sales; most popular fighting breed in South Africa.
racketeering; and practising veterinary medi- Wendy says that pit bulls are lovely dogs and that
cine without being licensed. pet pit bulls are incredibly loyal and protective of
their families. Through the advent of modern
Top: A fighter holds the bait dog on chain and A bloody “sport” dogfighting, irresponsible breeders took advan-
lifts her up to allow the pit bull to attack her. Faron and Faron (1995) gave a report of a tage of this dog's devotion and drive to please, as
The bait dog’s mouth is taped tightly shut to pre- convicted dogfighter who described the well as its high tolerance for pain and inherent
vent her from protecting herself details of one particular dogfight. "Miss Rufus loyalty and willingness to protect the people they
Middle:The chained and defenceless victim dog
spent most of the rest of the fight on her love, and manipulated the breed to produce a
goes down again and the pit bull is encouraged
back and Bandit broke her other front leg highly aggressive, highly driven dog that will focus
by the fighters to continue attacking and
high up in the shoulder, as well as one of her only on tearing another dog apart. Breeders who
mauling her
back legs, in the knee joint. The only leg she take that protectiveness and twist it into a
didn't break, she chewed all to hell. She had completely unnatural and aggressive fighting gene
intricate underground web, ranging from an literally scalped Miss Rufus, tearing a big create unstable animals which are a threat to
impromptu event in a back alley to a careful- chunk of skin off the top of her head along- other animals and humans. "Unfortunately, a
ly planned and organised enterprise held in a side one ear," he said. fantastic dog is getting a bad name due to some
location specially designed and maintained twisted psychopaths who are breeding them for
for the purpose of showcasing the bloody South Africa is no exception to dogfighting. fighting. You must ask yourself about the mental
"sport" of dogfighting. Smillie (2013) gave reports about a dog state and stability of people who do such things,"
whose muzzle was taped and had a heavy Wendy says. Fighting dogs are the product of an
50 Februarie 2014 ervamus
immoral, reprehensible and deviant sector of our embarrassment to the reputation of its
society. owner or its bloodline, it may be executed in
a particularly brutal fashion such as through
A lot of people will say that it is natural for dogs drowning, electrocution, hanging, strangling,
to fight, and ask: what is the issue? Animal behav- shooting, being burnt alive or beaten to
iourists explain that a normal fight between two death, and this may even be part of the
dogs seldom results in death or severe injuries. entertainment - often, owners do this to
Dogs fight till dominance is established, and when regain the respect of their peers. Dogs that
one animal gives submissive signals, the other will lose fights are frequently killed immediately
back off. They will fight over food, territory after the fight to destroy evidence, maintain
and mates, but they will not fight to the credibility and avoid the cost of treatment.
death. This natural behaviour is quite different
from what happens in staged fights, where pairs The worst thing a dog can do in a fight is to
of dogs - which are often bred and selected for turn coward, or decide not to fight. Their
dysfunctional, maximum, abnormal aggression fate is the same as a losing dog's fate.
and are sometimes given steroids or other drugs Sometimes, they are sacrificed publicly in the
to enhance their performance - are forced to most horrific of ways, as the breeders are of
fight until a winner is declared. the opinion that the dogs insulted the blood-
line and therefore needs to be sacrificed
Training dogs to fight publicly.
Apart from the twisted breeding methods, one
should be seriously concerned about the training Dogs that fail to show an adequate amount
or so-called conditioning that these dogs go of aggression or interest in fighting, or that
through. The dogs are sometimes put on ana- lose fights, are often used as "bait" animals.
bolic steroids and are tied to treadmills for long Their mouths are tied up so that they cannot
periods of time to promote muscle growth and defend themselves and they are sacrificed to
stamina. The dogs are also forced to hang on to a dog that is intended to be a fighter.
poles by their teeth for long periods of time, to
build up their jaw muscles. From puppyhood, It's not only the losing dogs that die. Even
massive chains are put around their necks. the winning dogs may die of their wounds.
Another horrible reality is called a "cat mill", They may die of blood loss, broken bones,
which is where the dog is tied to a rotating arm infections and other injuries. It is very rare
and, just out of reach on a second arm, a cage or for fighting dogs to receive any treatment,
sack is hung that contains a small animal such as because taking such a dog to a vet will
a rabbit, a cat or a puppy. The dog chases the ani- expose the dog owners, who are engaged in
mal in the cage, but cannot catch it. Sometimes illegal dogfighting.
however, the dog is "rewarded" with the animal Top: Day of the rescue: A pit bull rescued in
in the cage afterwards. Right from puppyhood, Further abuse of the dogs Atteridgeville
the dogs are given animals such as rats and mice The abuse of dogs used in dogfighting is not Bottom: Safe at last - rescued by the NSPCA
to catch, but as they get older, they train using confined to the ring. These dogs are not
cats, puppies and other dogs. In South Africa, with allowed to live normal lives. The abuse suf-
a large stray dog population and many dogs being fered by the dogs at the hands of their own- living in small cages in filthy conditions. To
given "free to a good home", it is easy to find a ers are often constant, with the brutality of enhance aggressiveness, the animals are fre-
bait dog. Sometimes, dogs are simply stolen for the fight itself typically only serving as the quently antagonised, beaten or starved.
this purpose. culmination of a life of cruelty.
Dogfighters rarely seek professional veteri-
A cruel death These dogs spend their days chained in nary care and post-fight attention for their
If the dogs don't die in the fights, many of them places with extraordinarily heavy chains or dogs and operations such as the illegal crop-
succumb to their injuries afterwards. Unless are kept locked up in cages. When not ping of ears and docking of tails are done
these dogs have a good history of past perform- chained, they are fighting or in training. Dogs with dull, unsterilised implements, without
ance or come from a valuable bloodline, losing are social animals, but these dogs are neg- anaesthetic or post-op medical attention.
dogs are often discarded, left to die with their lected and receive little to no socialisation.
injuries untreated. If the losing dog survives the Wendy says that, often, they are exposed to Dogs that are good fighters will often be
fight but is perceived to be a particular the elements and have limited shelter, often used for breeding. They are usually kept
February 2014 ervamus 51
bling.The reality is that the people who pro- flee. As this is a normal crime scene, all evidence
mote, participate and are spectators at must be preserved and photos must be taken,
dogfighting events are from all types of similarly to any other criminal case.
communities and backgrounds and include Once the scene has been secured, all animals
professional people such as doctors, lawyers, should be examined by an SPCA inspector and a
and religious leaders, as well as high-profile veterinarian to determine the extent of their
businessmen, police officials and teachers. injuries. Carcasses of any deceased animals found
The list is ongoing. The participants are well at the site should also be photographed, as they
aware that what they are doing is illegal, but were found, and examined by a veterinarian to
they continue doing so. establish the cause of death, which must be
documented.
South African dogfighters often claim that
dogfighting is part of their heritage or that Dogfighters tend to keep a considerable amount
it's part of their culture, but this does not of incriminating evidence on the properties
mean that it is right or even acceptable. At where their dogs are confined, as well as in their
one stage, South Africa allowed slavery, homes and vehicles. This includes the following:
lacked laws against child abuse, allowed cor- n There may be pry bars/bite sticks/breaking
poral punishment, and refused women the sticks on the premises - these are pieces of
vote ... besides this, the blood "sport" of dog- plastic or wood of varying length, thin at one end
fighting has its roots in British culture. and wider at the other. They are used to pry
open the jaws of a dog that has a death grip upon
Enforcement another dog.
Although dogfighting is illegal in South Africa, n Look out for chains, ropes or spring-poles
it has largely been ignored by law enforce- hanging from beams with various items attached
ment and the laws against it are shockingly to them (such as tyres, or live/dead cats or pup-
under-enforced. However, one also has to pies in bags) - in training, the dog "locks on" to
note that dogfighting is a violent and highly the items with its jaws and hangs there for long
secretive enterprise which is extremely diffi- periods, which builds strength in the jaw and
cult for law enforcement and investigative neck muscles.
professionals to infiltrate. n There may be documentary evidence such as
dogfighting publications; evidence of visiting rele-
Those involved in dogfighting go to extreme vant sites on the Internet; or other online
limits to hide their activities and to avoid services devoted to dogfighting; photographs;
Top: Starting to heal: Wounds on the dog start- detection by law enforcement. Therefore, trophies; films or written material depicting dog-
ed to heal investigations can be difficult, dangerous and fighting, training or conditioning; cameras/
Middle: A place call home: After suffering from expensive. Wendy says that a dogfighting cellphones used to record dogfighting activity;
abuse, this rescued dog at last come home investigation requires many of the same skills records pertaining to dog breeding, ownership,
and resources as an undercover narcotics sale invoices, etc.
investigation, and challenges the resources of n Generally, police will find mainly pit bulls at
alone and are chained up for their whole any agency that seeks to respond to it. such premises, but other dog breeds may be
lives. Sometimes, these dogs are so aggres- present as well. They are normally missing pieces
sive that they exhibit completely The NSPCA, SAPS and other law enforcers of their ears, an eye, or toes; and may have
dysfunctional mating behaviour and the engage in joint operations when it comes to current bite marks or scars around necks,
females have to be strapped down to a tackling dogfighting. For this reason, the shoulders and legs.
structure called a "rape stand". "If someone NSPCA has produced a specific document, n There may be bottles containing various
is willing to strap a dog to a rape stand, one entitled "Guidelines for enforcement of ani- vitamins, steroids or antibiotics, or various vials
must be very concerned not only about the mal fighting laws", which is provided to law that may contain medications as well as needles
nature of the dog but about the nature of enforcers to inform them about what to do and syringes. Investigators should also look for
the man," Wendy says. and what to expect at a dogfighting event or surgical needles or suture kits.
crime scene. One important warning that n There may be weights of various sizes
The perpetrators must be issued to police members respond- attached to dog collars or the dogs may be wear-
There is a perception that dogfighting is a ing to such an event is to be aware of the ing heavy chains with padlocks around the neck.
"poor person sport"; that people who fight fact that the organisers may turn the dogs These are worn to develop strength in neck
dogs do it for entertainment and illegal gam- loose to create a diversion and attempt to muscles or to restrain fighting dogs.
52 Februarie 2014 ervamus
n Saline solutions in plastic bags may be on the organisations. Therefore, the NSPCA relies histories of violent criminals, child abusers
premises. These are used to rehydrate dogs' on the community as a whole to stand up and perpetrators of domestic violence, and
bodies after strenuous activities. Also look for and report dogfighting if they become aware can be used as a sentinel indicator of other
wash buckets, sponges and rehydration liquids. of it. "When we, as a society, fail to hold per- social problems and acts of interpersonal
n There may even be treadmills (similar to petrators criminally liable for violating this violence. Animal cruelty, child abuse, spousal
those used in a gym) that are used by dogfighters law as well as other animal cruelty laws, we abuse and rape are about power and control.
to build strength and stamina in a dog, as well as are not only condoning that behaviour and Aggression begins with a real or perceived
weight scales, fighting enclosures or pits. the corresponding crimes associated with it, injustice. The person feels powerless and it
but also sending out a message that our legal makes them feel better to dominate a vul-
As dogfighting yields large profits for partici- system is weak, inconsistent and ineffective, nerable animal or person. In order to feel
pants, the minor penalties/convictions associated making a mockery of animal protection powerful, the perpetrator always has to win
with this crime are not a sufficient deterrent.The laws," Wendy says. and will thus choose a victim least likely to
cruelty inherent in dogfighting should be pun- retaliate, or least capable of retaliating. Killing
ished by more than a few rand in fines or a cou- Children exposed to violence or injuring animals to exercise control is
ple of months' incarceration. Dogfighting is not a People constantly ask why South Africa has highly indicative of the perpetrator's ability
spur-of-the-moment act - it is a premeditated such a violent element and what can be done to do the same to a human victim
and cruel practice. to change it, but here, we have the very vio- (http://nminvestigates.townsendwebdd.com/
lent activity of dogfighting being condoned by content/specialized_cases/specialized_
Arresting perpetrators communities at all societal levels. This form cases17.php).
On 3 November 2013, the NSPCA coordinated of violence is accepted and watched by spec-
the largest successful raid on a dogfighting ring tators that include children, who are often ***
since 1995. Together with the SPCA, 14 dogs taken along to these fights by enthusiasts The secrecy surrounding these activities is
were rescued and 18 people were arrested in who view this violent bloody sport as a high, and therefore the NSPCA relies on
Tsakane on the Gauteng East Rand after they family event. How can one still ask why these upstanding individuals and members the pub-
were caught in the act of dogfighting. A veteri- children grow up to be so violent and with- lic to assist them in combating this crime and
narian euthanased eight of the dogs due to the out empathy? to keep them informed about possible dog-
seriousness and extent of their injuries and suf- fighting rings.The first step in combating dog-
fering. Unfortunately, a lot of the evidence got Wendy says that virtually all children in high- fighting is for individuals to alert the author-
lost, as police members failed to secure impor- crime urban areas and informal settlements ities to any suspected or actual dogfighting
tant evidence and handed other evidence back to are exposed to dogfighting in their own activities in their area. We, as a community,
the owners prior to the trial.The NSPCA is ded- neighbourhoods and that this routine expo- must stand up and say "NO - it is wrong and
icated to ensuring that this case is taken serious- sure to unfettered animal abuse and neglect we will not tolerate it".
ly to serve as an example for other perpetrators. is a major contributing factor in their later
manifestation of social deviance. Many active If you have any information about dog-
In the early morning hours of 5 December 2013, street fighters are teenagers, with younger fighting, contact the NSPCA at
the NSPCA rescued eight dogs and arrested children watching or actively participating in tel: (011) 907 3590; fax: 011 907 4013 or
eight people in connection with dogfighting in the fights, which often serve as an introduc- send an e-mail to nspca@nspca.co.za
Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria. It is believed that tion to gang life.These children grow up in a
three of these dogs may have been stolen from culture where violence is accepted and cele- Sources:
loving homes. brated, and the children thus grow up think- Faron, E and Faron, C. 1995. The complete
ing that it is normal. According to Wendy, it gamedog: A guide to breeding and
How the community can help is well-documented that, by exposing chil- raising the American Pit Bull Terrier.
As South Africa has an unfortunate reputation for dren to such cruel brutality and repeated Charlotte. NC:Walsworth Publications.
soft law enforcement, more and more interna- violence, they become desensitised and tend Smillie, S. 2013.“Dog fight brutality exposed.”
tional players enter the country for dogfighting to perpetuate that cycle of violence, as well Accessed at www.iol.co.za/news/crime-
reasons. Furthermore, it is also easy to bribe the as promoting insensitivity towards animal courts/dog-fight-brutality-exposed-
authorities and, if caught, the legal process is slow. suffering, an enthusiasm for violence and dis- 1.1617899#.Us6e-Pshb3U on 10 December
respect for the law. 2013.
The NSPCA says that securing successful convic- www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/dog-fighting/
tions for dogfighting has its challenges due to its Furthermore, the huge amount of recent dog-fighting-faq - Accessed on 9 December
highly secretive and "undercover" nature. If they research evidence linking animal abuse to 2013.
are caught red-handed, there is always the prob- human violence is ever-growing.Various stud- http://nminvestigates.townsendwebdd.com/
lem of evidence going missing, as dogfighters infil- ies have shown that high incident levels of content/specialized_cases/specialized_cases
trate law enforcement and animal welfare animal abuse are found in the childhood 17.php - Accessed on 9 December 2013.
February 2014 ervamus 53
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