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Loading...End Dogfighting™ Campaign Slated for Philadelphia
You may be aware of the HSUS’ (Humane Society of the United States) End Dogfighting™ Campaigns. It started with Chicago in 2006. That success spurred a similar program in Atlanta in 2008. And for 2010, Philadelphia is next on the list of targeted urban areas.
Dog Fighting
The debasing world of underground dog fighting is rampant in the U.S. Even though dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, a sub-culture of violence and blood lust for it still exists. HSUS is taking a grassroots approach by establishing programs in urban areas infected by dog fighting.
A very creative and compelling PSA (Public Service Announcement) was filmed by AnimalRescueAssociation.org that describes — from the dog’s point of view — the reality and atrocity of dog fighting.
The Campaign
The community outreach approach of HSUS is to seek out and hire local, respected community members who can educate, mediate and intervene with current and potential dog fighters. The four-point campaign focuses on:
- Pit Bull Training Team: Provide free and accessible weekly pit bull training classes. This is to show pit bulls as friends, not fighters. Basic obedience, responsible pet ownership and agility are taught.
- Community Outreach: By providing vaccination clinics, low cost spay/neuter, dog house giveaways, fence subsidies and religious leader outreach HSUS promotes its anti-dog fighting message earning trust in the community.
- Law Enforcement Partnership: HSUS partners with law enforcement, offering them training on catching dog fighters and providing a reward of up to $5,000 for tips leading to convictions. Educating police officers on canine body language can help prevent a dog being killed during a confrontation.
- Humane Education: The HSUS developed a special eight-week curriculum for middle school children. This curriculum tackles the topic of dog fighting through games and hands-on activities. It also teaches responsible pet ownership, how to read a dog’s expressions and safety tips on what to do when approached by an unknown canine.
Coming to Philadelphia
Rebecca Glenn-Dinwoodie, HSUS’ Coordinator to End Dogfighting™ in Philadelphia is planning on the campaign beginning by year end. The Philadelphia native has studied the city’s dog fighting statistics and she is currently negotiating with Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation.
A preventive approach to end dogfighting is HSUS’ intent. Glenn-Dinwoodie described for me the effect of HSUS’ End Dogfighting™ campaigns in Chicago and Atlanta: “How it engages kids is incredibly powerful and how it engages dogs is incredibly powerful, too.”
When queried as to why HSUS chose Philadelphia for its third campaign, Glenn-Dinwoodie said there were several anonymous benefactors who donated a large amount, earmarking it for startup in Philadelphia. Undoubtedly — with Michael Vick now a quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles — dogfighting in the city has reached a new level of awareness in the public consciousness. The Philadelphia Eagles organization is another donator that wants to see HSUS succeed in the city.
The time is ripe for HSUS to start preventing Philadelphia youngsters from the lure of dogfighting. Help a youth from entering a life of violence toward animals. Save a dog from a life of pain and misery at the hands of dog fighters.
Read more: animal welfare, dog fighting, hsus end dogfighting campaign, hsus humane society of the united states, michael vick, philadelphia, philadelphia eagles
Sean Moore with former fight dog, photo by Saverio Truglia used with permission.
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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Great! And he has good music too :)
poor thing
This should be discussed before people even climb. If it were me, I would prefer my body be left where…
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+ add your ownYou can tell alot about a government by how they treat the nations animals.
Animal fights are so cruel and evil it shouldn't exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
60 % of dog fighting comes from gang activity , how do you stop these low life pieces of shit - jail means nothing to them
O ne of the only ways to stop this is to make the penalties so severe that none but a few would dare chance it .And that should stand for ALL participants! I have yet to see anyone happy about facing a murder charge of any degree,Have you??!!
Horrible dogfighting should be banned EVERYWHERE!
Duh! What is the problem here?
Yessss!!!!!!!!!!!
Animals have no choice in these situations. Folks who get off on this stuff need serious psychological help and we as a society need to be protected from them (as do the animals.) Educating and protecting children from exposure to such depravity is necessary. Since animal violence is link with violence towards humans this is would also be a matter of child endangerment.
I have owned 2 "pit bulls" one and American Staffordshire, and would own another in a minute. Both have passed away and are deeply missed. both were also rescued from people that had planned to fight them. The mere training of a dog to fight should be a felony, right up there with armed robbery or worse. These dogs mission in life is to please their owner. I say prosecute all of these idiots at the fullest extent of the law Maybe throw them in a pit filled with dogs that can not be rehabilitated. Sorry so graphic and evil, but this is one of my pet peeves, as a matter of fact, the only one that is more important (that I can doe something about on an individual basis) to me is spousal abuse. I cannot solely feed the hungry or stop the exploitation of out planet. I can provide shelter for an abused woman, and I can help rehabilitate a rescued bull dog.
I am definitely going to boycott Amazon and I encourage everyone to do the same --let them see our disapproval in their profits.
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