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.
