For thousands of years humans have been pairing up aggressive dogs in a "sport" known as dog fighting, in which the competitors often fight until death. Humans arrange the matches and breed and train the fighting dogs. Surprisingly, original fighting dogs were taught to be people friendly because they had to be able to be handled by their owners and referees.
"The development of modern dogfighting as practiced in Europe, North America and South America can be clearly traced to 1835, when bull-baiting was banned in England. After the ban, the owners of "bulldogs"—used up until then to bait bulls, bears and other animals—turned to staging fights between their dogs to satisfy their blood lust." These "bull dogs" were cross bred and created different breeds, such as American Pit Bulls. Originally, dog fighting was an activity for the professionals and upper class, as long as it wasn't advertised in public. For the middle class, dog fighting was a family event. Obviously times have changed, "dogfighting is [now] an underground activity. Undercover cruelty investigators describe an environment of casual cruelty and easy violence. Defeated dogs are killed and dumped; stolen dogs and cats are used to train fighting dogs. Successful raids on dogfighting rings typically net a cross section of people."
"More frequently, dogfights are informal street corner and playground activities. Stripped of the rules and formality of the traditional pit fight, these are spontaneous events triggered by insults, turf invasions or the simple taunt, "My dog can kill yours." Many people who participate in these fights lack even a semblance of respect for the animals, often starving or beating them to encourage aggressive behavior.. And many of the dogs are encouraged to be a threat not only to other dogs, but to people as well—with tragic consequences." This new breed of dog fighting is difficult to control because the problem lays deep within the owners and coaches.
The ASPCA, or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is an organization that aims "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States". It was founded on the belief that "animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law". The organization has legal authority to investigate and make arrests for cruelty to animals. It is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the world, and has branches all across the United States.
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