Politics & Government

Blumenthal Takes Aim at Animal Fighting

A bi-partisan bill doing the rounds in the Senate would make it a federal felony to attend animal fighting events.

There’s nothing fun about watching animals fight, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D- Connecticut, is among a handful of senators from both parties sponsoring a bill that would make it a federal felony to attend such animal fighting events.

The bill, known as the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, would make it a federal offense to be a spectator in any type of animal fighting activity.

Congress has already passed federal laws against animal fighting, and the transport, possession, and training of animals used for fighting activities. But while most states have some form of statute that makes it illegal to attend animal fighting events, many states only charge spectators who attend those events with misdemeanors. The new law intends to make spectators of animal fighting events in any state in the country subject to a federal felony offense. 

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“Animal fighting is a cruel and inhumane criminal enterprise perpetuated by the spectators who fund it,” Blumenthal said in a statement. “This bill seeks to extinguish the horrific treatment of animals and risks to public safety associated with animal fighting. Exposing innocent children to animal fighting as spectators unconscionably continues the vicious cycle of cruelty and abuse."

Senators Blumenthal, Mark Kirk, R-Illinois, Maria Cantwell, D-Wisconsin, and Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts are sponsoring the bill.

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“I am proud to help lead a bipartisan effort which will give law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to combat animal cruelty,” Brown said in a statement. “Animal fighting events are barbaric and cesspools of gang and other criminal activity.”

According to information provided by Blumenthal’s office, a three-year study by the Chicago Police Department found that 70 percent of animal offenders had also been arrested for other felonies, such as gang activity, gambling, narcotics, and weapons possession.

Numerous animal welfare groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, are in support of the bill.


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