2007 Legislative Developments - the Fight against Animal Fighting
With the July 17th federal grand jury indictment of Atlanta Falcons celebrity quarterback Michael Vick and three others on felony dog fighting charges, animal cruelty has been brought to the forefront of America.
With the Animal Welfare Act of 1976, it became a federal crime to knowingly sell, buy, transport, deliver or receive an animal in interstate or foreign commerce for the purposes of participation in animal fighting. The crime was set at a misdemeanor with penalties of up to $5,000 in fines and 1 year in prison. In the 31 years since then, according to the bill's notes, Federal authorities have pursued fewer than a half dozen animal fighting cases, despite receiving numerous tips from informants and requests to assist with state and local prosecutions. In 2002 amendments increased penalties from a potential fine of $5,000 to one of $15,000 -- but still at the misdemeanor level.
By increasing penalties to the felony level, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007, signed by the president in May, offers prosecutors greater incentive to pursue cases against unlawful animal fighting ventures. It also became a felony to knowingly sell, buy, transport, or deliver in interstate or foreign commerce a knife, a gaffe, or any other sharp instrument for attachment for use in animal fighting. According to the Humane Society of the United States the animal fighting industry continues to thrive in this country despite 50 State laws that ban dog fighting and 48 that ban cockfighting. Numerous nationally circulated animal fighting magazines still promote this cruelty by advertising fighting animals and the accoutrements of animal fighting.
The law took effect immediately. Congressional support for this law was bipartisan and nearly unanimous. It's up to prosecutors to make use of this new tool as soon as possible.
