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Handling Web Sites that Promote Animal Cruelty July 14, 2007 12:26 PM

In response to the rising number of websites that promote, glamorize
or trivialize cruelty to animals, this information is to help you to do something to stop it. Much of what you see on the Internet is created for the purpose of drawing attention to the author's website. They are so disassociated with society that it doesn't matter to them if what they are displaying has any moral value. All they are concerned with is the attention -- whether good or bad -- motivates them to continue their effort to increase their hit count or reputation. To those types of sites, please ignore them. Hopefully, without the attention that they crave for, and the lack of interest in their site from others, they will go away.

In the past, we provided petitions and worked to have the sites removed. Even though this process was successful, it has also helped to draw attention to those sites. This has indirectly given support to those sites to make it eventually come back or encouraged others who thought alike to start one of their own cruelty websites. Now, we have several more, and efforts to remove them gets harder and harder everytime. That's why it is in the best interest of all concerned that we handle these things in another manner.

Should you find a site that is promoting animal cruelty, here is what you can do:

  • Do not contact the website. The author isn't interested in how you feel about him/her and what he/she is doing.
  • Do not provide website links and/or send emails to all of your friends and associates telling them about the site. Doing so would be promoting the site and, thusly, giving them what they want -- attention. It is what they crave and you would only be fueling their fire. Don't give them any satisfaction. If you have concerns about a web site, contact your elected officials but please do not contact friends and neighbors. Many well-intentioned individuals believe that the best course of action is to tell all of their friends and relatives about such web sites. Sometimes online petitions against a site will be generated. Ultimately, such petitions or mass emails will only increase the number of visitors to a website, encouraging the site's creator.
  • Contact the ISP who hosts the website to let them know about the abusive content. The administrative and technical contacts are who you should be sending your complaints to. The registrant is most likely the website author. To find out who is the ISP and other relevant information, you can use any one of the WHOIS tools available on the internet such as this one here: http://whois.domaintools.com

    However, sometimes the origin of the site, the name and address under the site is registered could be inaccurate, incomplete or false. So far, it has been an uphill battle, as the only law that even remotely covers issues like this is a law that covers e-mailed obscenities; therefore, if the site is not in violation of the host's user agreement, no law is being violated, and the site can remain up. Some other sites similar to this one has been closed down several times before but continues to reappear with different Web addresses. Thus, in addition, you can also file a complaint at the reporting center website set up by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) for Internet fraud and other forms of Internet crime here: http://www.ic3.govKnow the Laws in your Area

  • If you know of a real animal abuse in your community, contact your local authorities. Provide as much evidence to support your complaint as possible.

Animal cruelty hurts everyone, and it most certainly it is not funny.

"I have always held firmly to the thought that each one of us can do a little to bring some portion of misery to an end." ~ Albert Schweitzer

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 July 14, 2007 12:37 PM

If you are wondering on how you can generate more complaints to the FBI without promoting the sites, well, you could still do so by describing the websites and tell people what are the contents without providing the links, and also tell them why you can't provide it. I'm sure people will understand and cooperate.  [ send green star]
 
Remember... August 04, 2007 12:51 AM

Provide the relevant website links only to the FBI and relevant authorities. Not to the public. Thanks.  [ send green star]
 
Additional Information August 05, 2007 1:05 AM

A show only happens when there is an audience so it's better to not ask people to go and see it. It will encourage abusers to create more shows.

Moreover, websites like these also contain tracking devices, hidden spywares, virus programs etc., that secretly enters people's computers which can seriously damage their computers and/or steal information without anyone knowing. In addition, websites like these can also have sponsors who place their advertisement and other obvious or non-obvious things, so everytime people click to go to their website, the sponsor will pay the owner more money. Other than being mentally disturbeb, this is another reason why some people do it, while others fake it because they know they will attract the general public including animal caring people to go to their website. That's the whole idea. So, please don't fall into their trap!

Please understand how important this is to help animals. You will only make it worst for the animals by helping the abusers to promote their website for them, thus encouraging them to do more shows since you are bringing audience and support for them.
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myspace dog fighting group February 12, 2008 5:38 PM

I have posted in other groups on how to get this group removed

http://groups.myspace.com/SUPPORTVICKORDIE

it is so hard for me to see that people still support such a brutal so called sport

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I have reported February 12, 2008 7:40 PM

This group as having inappropriate content.  Let's hope it gets removed  [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
Handling Web Sites that Promote Animal Cruelty February 12, 2008 8:00 PM

THANKS

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Thanks February 12, 2008 8:02 PM

This information is great.  It will come in handy.  We all need to work together to save these animals from people that are beyond control.   [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 April 10, 2008 4:49 AM

BUMP!!  [ send green star]  [ accepted]
 
 May 02, 2008 4:08 PM

NOTED!!

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Are all sites that promote dogfighting against the law.... September 10, 2008 6:34 PM

If they are based in the US?  This is the one I'm concerned about and don't know if I should go straight to the FBI site or not...http://puppyprofits.com/

Can you help?

Thanks!

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PuppyProfits.com listed on Snopes.com September 11, 2008 5:51 AM

I don't know the legalities involved with having a "hoax" site however it is listed on Snopes.com: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/puppyprofits.asp

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OK September 11, 2008 6:36 AM

Thanks!  I didn't realize there were hoax sites like this or I would have checked snopes first.  I heard about it from someone posting on Care2, so maybe I'll let them know in case someone is trying to set up the Care2 folks.

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hoax websites August 10, 2009 10:08 PM

it don't matter whether it's a hoax or not ppl shudn't put stuff like that on the website it's just so cruel and nasty 2 think that ppl make money out of seeing dogs fight and im dead against it check out my page its my.care2.com/susanburgoynedoglover68 and ull c y

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 August 10, 2009 10:19 PM

Nick mentioned the FBI in his post, does the FBI really care that these type of websites are there?

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 August 11, 2009 1:10 AM

Nick also mentioned "relevant authorities". Try reporting to several of them if you have not much of a confidence on just one of them. You may also go through animal rights / welfare organizations as well... 

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 August 11, 2009 4:44 AM

Much of the problem is the way "activists" respond to sites with a knee jerk reaction.  Bonsai Kitten is such a great example I will use it.  Anyone who believed that you could keep a kitten alive in a jar is a fool, so what one has to guess is they did not even read the site contents as if you did anyone with any brains would see the site was sardonic humor, be it right or wrong as humor is something I doubt we will ever judge but there was absolutely no animal cruelty because it was Photoshop.
 
The point becomes responsibility in action, yes the FBI will shut down sites that are animal cruelty, but like the boy who yelled wolf when you have hundreds of thousands of people who do not read, who follow because someone made a post full of information that was totally wrong because they did not read the site you get a snowball effect.
 
Remember when you report a potential crime you are saying you have reviewed the site, you have deemed it cruel to animals verses bad humor or impossible scenarios like live kittens in jars.  I bet if the federal government started a fine for false reporting people would be much more careful and actually be able to shut these sites down verses flooding law enforcement with complaints they have to process that have no validity.
 
I wish to be clear I am 100% pro shutting sites that promote animal cruelty down, but I can also see the side of the legal system that has to deal with 10,000 invalid complaints for every 1 legit complaint.  The FBI has even issued statements about sites like Bonsai Kitten but like clockwork at least once a year this site erupts with the "outrage" and call to shut the evil down which generate tens of thousands of complaints that literally suck the resources to deal with animal cruelty dry.
 
It equates to the people who pull fire alarms when there is no fire, while the fire department in running to no fire someone dies in a real fire.
 
Report abuse, but report what you see and read not what someone else tells you about.
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Links to essential info... August 11, 2009 10:22 AM

Animal Cruelty & Reporting Abuse -
http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty.php
&
http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty/reporting_abuse.php

HOW/WHERE TO REPORT INTERNET ANIMAL ABUSE/CRUELTY/CRIMES - http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=8544241543&topic=9514

3rd link here is to a note on discussion board of my group on facebook, it's a guide compiled by several people and contains useful links to info needed for reporting animal cruelty on the net and the websites that host it.

Handy to keep for future reference !

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